Founded by Hirata Donin in the early 16th century, the Hirata school continued to produce some of the finest pieces of art in the world of sword furniture. Sent to Korea by Tokugawa Ieyasu, it is said tha Hikoshiro (Donin) learned to produce cloisonne from Korean craftsman and brought the art to Japan where it was called shippo. This fuchi was made from shakudo and is decorated with small inlays made from gold and shippo. As a later addition, there is an inlay made from suaka and pure gold to increase the height of the fuchi by 2.2 mm for mounting pruposes (with its original height being 8.3 mm). The inlay fits perfectly and is a masterpiece by its own right. Dimensions of the nakago-ana: 27.4 mm x 7.7 mm (maximum) This piece came from Nagel auction house, Germany, and was formerly part of the collection of Dr Karl Florenz (1865 - 1939), acquired in Japan between 1889 and 1914