GUESSING GAME?

[NihontoEurope]

Hello,

 

I have this tantou and guess I have an idea of smith.

 

What do you think?

 

I have tried to do my best to point out some features.

 

I could be nice to see if someone else have the same idea as myself. The piece is signed.

 

25.7 cm and no Sori.

 

[attachment=0]5g.JPG[/attachment]

 

Thank you!

 

/Martin

[Gunome]

Hi,

 

It could be from a koto nanbokucho smith

[Jean]

Martin,

 

How can you say you have an idea of the smith and add the blade is signed? :D

[John A Stuart]

As a guess; how about Hosho Sadatsugu. John

[Peter Bleed]

John,

Wow! Hosho and Sadatsugu? The ice must be thick up there in the Central Arctic. I think you have wandered beyond the safety zone This tanto has a Yamato look, but I'd stop at Tegai, - mebbe with a doctored nakago.

Interesting problem. Thanks.

Peter

[John A Stuart]

Pound and penny thing!!, Peter. Indeed the nakago looks repatinated. John

[nagamaki - Franco]

no Sori.

 

Perhaps its my new glasses, but am I not seeing a hint of uchizori?

Tsukare utsuri or is it just the polish on the mid to upper half of this tanto, or is it just my imagination running away once again?

Recent polish?

[NihontoEurope]

Martin,

 

How can you say you have an idea of the smith and add the blade is signed? :D

 

Jean,

 

A couple of smiths signed the same way. I knew when typing the question would come. : )

 

 

John and Peter,

 

I think not repatinated. It is a photo issue. Bad lights and camera on high ISO.

 

If you still think it is repatinated; I would like to learn more about it.

 

ISO 80 now. I think it is an interesting blade.

 

[attachment=1]IMG_6651.JPG[/attachment]

 

[attachment=0]IMG_6652.JPG[/attachment]

 

/Martin

[John A Stuart]

It looks quite different now. John

[NihontoEurope]

Yes, a bit different.

 

Also, the length would have been 25.7+1.5 cm originally as the blade has been shortened. The patina is consistent to that fact as well.

 

/Martin

[Peter Bleed]

Friends,

I should probably not admit this, but it was less the patina/color of the nakago than the shape that i was reacting to. There is a lot of nakago-zori - it seems to me. And further, there seems to be a pronouced break in the curvature right at that double mekugi-ana. Might the sori have been a bit enhanced? A much used Muromachi blade trying to look older?

Peter

[cabowen]

The edges of the mekugi-ana appear quite sharp, unless that is the photo again....

[NihontoEurope]

Hello,

 

John - No, not signed as Hosho Sadatsugu

 

Franco - Uchi sori, very slight. Tsukare utsuri, a key point here and I tried to catch it as best I could. Easy to see when you have the blade in hand, i e more pronounced. About the polish; I think this has a really old polish and it has been polished down along the years. I'm on thin ice here, but I guess last polish was made 100-150 years ago.

 

Peter - nakago-sori. Yes, not tampered with. About 1.0 mm

 

 

If it is what I think it is and Mei correct:

Sebastien - It is a good guess (nanbokucho smith)

 

Peter - Not Yamato, Yamashiro traditon

 

Chris - mekugi-ana...adding some more pictures I took now. The holes are sharper on one side as opposed to the other:

 

[attachment=1]IMG_6658.JPG[/attachment]

 

[attachment=0]IMG_6659.JPG[/attachment]

 

Good comments and questions!!

 

I hope I have answered all comments, if not...remind me!

 

I can take more pictures if you want

 

/Martin

[Ted Tenold]

My bid would be Ryokai as in the Tsukushi (Chikushi) Ryokai group, and no earlier than Muromachi. I think the suspicions of the nakago are based on the later Ryokai makers inspirations of Kamakura and Nambokucho works, but are lacking in terms of shape and workmanship .

[NihontoEurope]

[attachment=0]MEI.jpg[/attachment]

/Martin

[John A Stuart]

Rai Kunitomo?? Hmmmmmm!! John

[cabowen]

Rai Kunitomo?? Hmmmmmm!! John

 

Kunitoshi...

[Jean]

Several smiths signed the same way, the smith is Nambokucho, I will follow Ted or early Nobukuni