The three kozuka below are of the Gotô school with the top one being attributed to Gotô Eijô also called Mitsumasa. Eijô worked around 1574-1617. He was the sixth master of the mainline Gotô school. This ô-kozuka depicts two shishi lions frolicking among the botan (tree peony blooms). It is done in shakudo nanako with the lions done in shakudo and the peonies done in gold. The reverse is gold.
The second ô-kozuka is also by the same artist, Gotô Eijô. It is made of shakudo with the obverse comprised of nanako. There is a large rectangular opening near the base that is lined with gold. The design is that of two young men using a long lever to move a large silver ball toward another person who appears to be sitting in meditation. All of the figures are done in shakudo, silver and gold. The reverse has either wind or waves incised into the smooth shakudo background.
The third o-kozuka has been attributed to the Ko-Gotô school. This attribution usually means that the NBTHK is attributing the piece to one of the first three mainline masters of the Gotô school, but they cannot specify which one specifically made the piece. It is also done in shakudo nanako with the back side done in gold. There is a large rounded squarish hold near the end that has been lined with gold. The obverse has three family mon of eight small circles surrounding a larger circle. The most prominent user of this mon was the Hosokawa Daimyo of Kyûshû. It dates to the middle to late 1500’s.
The final kozuka is one of normal size to be used as a comparison piece.
