Tanto Help

[vajo]

Hi,

 

a friend offered me this tanto. 

Mumei blade, in old polish. I didn't know what age (maybe shinto?) Could it be a Yari Tanto?

 

Koshirae is Edo maybe, but the condition is not perfect. The Tsuka is covered by a white material, could it be wax?

 

I'm not sure to buy it. What you think.

 

[paulb]

Hi Chris

Shinto tanto are comparatively rare, they went largely out of fashion as the daisho became the norm. Some were still made but not in great numbers.

If I had to guess I would put this at late shinto or more likely shin-shinto. I cannot remember the correct name for the shape but it is a recognised form (not a yari) which again was popular in later work.

the white material is most probably wax, applied as a form of damp protection.

Whether you should buy it is up to you. It depends on the price and how much you like what you see. From the images I cant see any major problems and it looks to be a tidy example of what it is.

[Brian]

Agree with Paul that it looks shinshinto to me.

Nothing really standing out as fantastic, but if the price is decent might make an ok entry level piece. I'd say it would have to be under $1000 at a guess.

[Stefan]

In  my  point of view a normal  shinshinto unokubi zukuri tanto. Nothing special. The  Koshirae is nice.

Stefan

[vajo]

Thank you very much.

 

I was asking for another blade pictures and got this.

 

 

There is a phase in the blade, what i see. Maybe kikuchi? 

[Jean]

Does not look as kikuchi yari.

[vajo]

Hmm what is it?

Found that picture here in the board.

 

 

For me it looks like a shortend version from the third from above.

But i have zero experience with it.

[paulb]

I am with Jean I think this is an unokubi zukuri tanto not a yari (thank you Stefan). I dont think it was ever a yari.

as always its an opinion and worth exactly what it cost  

[vajo]

Thank you all.

 

So i will put it as shinshinto unokubi zukuri tanto in my collection when my friend want to give it to me.

 

It's the first tanto that i'm willing to buy. 

[Brian]

Definitely not a kikuchi yari.

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Chris.,

 

The Kamon on the Tsuka looks like Maru ni Kikuza Tachibana, and the one on the Fuchi looks to be Kikuza Tachibana.

 

Need clearer images to be more definite.

 

Cheers

[Jean]

Chris,

 

There is no sori in a Kikuchi Yari and the tang is much longer

[vajo]

Thank you Jean. I realise this now. I was on the wrong way. Its a "normal" unokubi zukuri tanto. I found one in my books.

 

Thank you Malcom very nice find. 

 

I hope i can make better pictures when it is here. 

[vajo]

Malcom

is it right that this mon is not the mon of the samurai clan tachibana. It is the mon of the kuge tachibana clan. One of the imperial houses of Japan.

I found that information on wikipedia.

[Jean]

In fact, kikuchi yari reminds me of our old bayonnets.

[vajo]

You are right Jean. They look a little similar. But there is no beauty in that pieces from solingen. 

[Ron STL]

Looks like a very nice tanto that one could certainly enjoy studying. I wonder if it was a Kaga school work, noticing the sharp cut nakago-jiri. If not a "treasure," it is something to be enjoyed and perhaps learned from. As for kikuchi yari, I've always admired their dynamic sugata. I only own one yakinaoshi-kikuchi yari that was convered into a tanto. The one I've always wished for surfaced in the early 1970s here in St. Louis, a "gift" to some family during our 1904 World Fair. It was boxed with extensive hakogaki "history" and was soon offered at a Chicago show. I could not afford it back then, but it eventually ended up in the UK and published in an issue of the newsletter of the British club. Just a short reminisce. Ron STL

[Thekirsh]

For reference, here is an interesting Kikuchi Yari I own.

Best guess is it was cut down and the mei placed on the mune.  

Simon K

 

[Toryu2020]

I'm thinking shobu-zukuri since the shinogi line goes right to the tip

a very neat find, you should not be worried about investing in it. I also support the shin-shinto idea...

-t

[vajo]

Hope to recieve it coming week. You all help me this way for buying it.

Thank you very much.

I'm happy to be part of this community.

[Marius G]

Excuse my ignorance, but based on what is this tanto considered to be shinto? Why cannot it be Muromachi for example?

 

But is it a tanto or a short wakizashi, as the nagasa seems to be rather long?

 

So how long exactly is the nagasa?

[paulb]

Hi Marius

I think the majority view was shin-shinto rather than shinto.

I agree without knowing the length it is difficult to really judge what the shape is telling you. My initial reaction was sunobi tanto or Ko-wakazashi which is much the same.

I can only speak for myself but the look of the nakago does not suggest early work, it lacks age patination. Likewise the hada seems undefined and the overall condition too fresh to be considered 600+ years old.

Again this is opinion based on photographs which is never easy but I would still be happier calling this later than early.

hope this helps

Paul

[Marius G]

Thank you Paul for clarifications!   

[SteveM]

Malcom

is it right that this mon is not the mon of the samurai clan tachibana. It is the mon of the kuge tachibana clan. One of the imperial houses of Japan.

I found that information on wikipedia.

 

This might be true for the medieval origins of the kamon. However, the use of kamon are largely unrestricted, therefore you couldn't properly conclude that this tanto was associated with any one particular class of society. Anyone is free to to use the kikuza tachibana mon, and so without knowing the precise family from where this item came, you couldn't say much just by looking at the mon. 

[Curran]

 I wonder if it was a Kaga school work, noticing the sharp cut nakago-jiri.

 

I thought the same too, seeing the "hawk feather" nakago-jiri.

The late John Prough did a good write-up on Kaga nakago-jiri for the NYMetro club.

[vajo]

Hello,

 

the tanto arrived today. It looks loveley.

 

Nagasa is 29,5 cm

 

I made some pictures maybe it help to identify. Light condition is bad to take pictures.

 

[vajo]

The complete tanto,