| The Yoshioka family served the Tokugawa shogunate as official metalworkers, second in status only to the Gotō family. From the first master Shigetsugu (重次), who moved to Edo during the Keichō era (late 16th–early 17th century), through the ninth master Shigesada (重貞, d. 1893), they preserved an honorable lineage and prospered throughout the Edo period, specializing in reliable and highly refined carving.Successive heads of the main line adopted Inaba-no-suke (因幡介) as their court title, taking this name upon inheriting the family leadership. From the fifth master Yasutsugu (易次) onward, most signed works are cut in five characters, “Yoshioka Inaba-no-suke (吉岡因幡介).” Although the styles of the signatures are generally similar, the inscription on the present work closely resembles that of the seventh master Terutsugu (照次) (born 1761, died 1849 at age 89), who also left works signed with his personal name; therefore, this piece is considered to be by his hand.This work is a kozuka with a phoenix design by Yoshioka Inaba-no-suke (7th master Terutsugu). It passed the NBTHK Hozon Tōsōgu shinsa in 2013. |
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