Kozuka with NBTHK Hozon Tosogu attributed to Gotō Renjō, 10th generation head of the mainline Gotō family. He was born as Mitsutomo in 1627, in 1646 he took over mainline Goto family and took the name Renjō. During his time mainline Gotō family moved from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo).
This kozuka theme is Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), 11th century Japanese novel written by female poet Murasaki Shikibu. To be exact it depicts gourd vines and fan. Those attributes represent the story of Yūgao from the 4th chapter of the book. When Genji was passing a house he saw beautiful flowers and wanted to get one of the flowers for himself. In this moment a lady of the house appeared and send him one flower on the fan inscribed with poetry. Genji fall in love with beautiful lady of the house and wanted to get her attention. Finally he managed to invite her to her palace, were soon after she died.
Made of shakudo with nanako ground and gold, silver iroe.
Comes in a custom box with two pieces of old paper.
The outer ones says "Renjō kozuka with gold iroe of bootle gourd and folding fan"
In one inside says:
On a small tag: "Number. 9"
On the main one: "Judged to be Renjō" I am not able to read rest of the inscription
