Help and info needed

[Mike]

Hello all,

 

I've been asked to see if I can help in id and info of this tanto, yoroy-doshi in fact. It belongs to retired minister of the Israeli parliament who got it as a present about 50 years ago. As I have very little knowledge, and this tanto is far from my area of interest (which is koto blades) I am seeking here for info. It is 35 cm OAL, blade is 23.5 cm.

It is interesting blade as it has what appears to be gunume-chozy hamon on the mune. It also have nice representative koshirae.

Photos of the blade are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/118379156070072875548/Tanto_1_blade?authkey=Gv1sRgCOSorbqp_crZuwE

Photos of the koshirae are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/118379156070072875548/Tanto_1_koshirae?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPv6o2FrcDCTw

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

[Marius]

Mike,

 

This is not a yoroi-doshi, unless it is very thick, which it does not seem to be, judging from the pictures. It is surely an interesting tanto with am uncommon hitatsura temper. The ha is tempered in o-notare and looks to be nie-hotsure (really hard to say, as the blade is out of polish) while the mune reminds me of hitatsura by Yasutsugu (a renowned shinto smith). Nakago indicates shinto (but tanto were rare in that period) or shinshinto.

 

This should be sent to a qualified polisher. Very interesting, thanks for posting :-)

[Brian]

Hmm..that is an interesting variation of muneyaki...I am sure a shinsa panel would jump at an attribution, but I have no idea. Looks like strong uchizori. How thick is the blade at the machi?

The nakago does look fresh, otherwise I would have called late Koto. Looks in good condition, and I would be inclined to say maybe worth a polish.

Nice gift

 

Brian

[Mike]

Thanks Mariusz and Brian, it is roughly 0.8 cm thick at the mune-machi and has triangle profile so I strongly believe it is yoroi-doshi. Unfortunately it is out of polish though it kept in a closet ever since he got it. At first I suspected it to be shinshinto era due to fresh nagako, but the yasurime suggests koto era.

I'd like to get info on the koshirae as well, should I post it in the tosogu discussion forum?

And one more request, a value estimation. They intend to sell the tanto and would like to ask a reasonable price, I know it is hard but even rough estimation would be OK

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Mike

[Brian]

Yep..at that thickness, I think a yoroidoshi would be a fair call.

Interesting hamon, nice koshirae...I think at a guess you would be looking at about $1750 or so?

 

Brian

[Marius]

Brian,

 

I wouldn't pay $1,750 for a sword which is out of polish. having said this, I guess everything is possible. Assuming an ordinary blade. you might try to put it on eBay, if you hit $1,200, you will be lucky, IMHO...

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Like Mariuszk, i wouldn't call it a yoroi-doshi.

 

 

A yoroi-doshi by Heainjo Nagayoshi. Kasane : 1.7cm.

 

 

[Marius]

A yoroi-doshi by Heainjo Nagayoshi. Kasane : 1.7cm.

 

 

Jacques, I guess this would pierce even plate armour. Absolutely massive.

[Mike]

Thanks all for your contribution, my laptop has crashed so I wasn't able to see all the comments.

BTW I have papered yoroidoshi with 0.9 cm thickness at the machi, so 1.7 cm is really for heavy duty.

Mike

[Jean]

You are right Mike, it is an exception :D

[Brian]

I'm fairly sure yours is firmly in the realm of yoroi-doshi. Over about 7-8mm starts to get to that triangular shape that is unmistakeable.

 

Brian