Overview

Nakajima Izumi-no-kami was a family of bronze mirror makers who worked mainly in the17th century and lived at Shinmachi Nijô Kudaru in Kyoto. They produced very fine mirrors with high reliefs. In particular, Izumi-no-kami Sadatsugu was commissioned to make mirrors for the most powerful personages in those days. For example, his "Hatsune furnishings" (in possession of Tokugawa Museum) were prepared when Chiyohime married Tokugawa Mitsutomo of Owari, and his was the top Kyoto mirror foundry along with Aoke. The cut over the "Tenkaichi ("First under Heaven")" part of the inscription on this mirror is so rough that we might suppose it was made after the title "Tenkaichi" was prohibited in Tenwa 2 (1682). Since the tin coating on the back is applied over this inscription, it is clear that the coating was not originally there.