Maker context

Shōami Katsuyoshi was born on 28 April 1832 at Tsuyama, the third son of Nakagawa Gōemon Katsutsugu, a metal carver to the Tsuyama domain. He learned metal carving from his father. At eighteen he was adopted into the Shōami family, carvers to the Okayama domain, and became its ninth head. He continued to receive designs and instruction by letter from his elder brother and from Gotō Ichijō.

The abolition of the domains, and then the 1876 edict banning the wearing of swords, ended his work on sword fittings. He turned to vases, incense burners, sculpture and tea wares. In 1878 he set up an export venture with more than thirty craftsmen. He stopped it after crude imitations by dishonest dealers appeared, and from then on he concentrated on a small workshop.¹

Summarised from our maker page, where every fact is footnoted: Shōami Katsuyoshi 正阿弥勝義.