Gorgeous Aikuchi At Christies

[Surfson]

This tanto just sold today.  Spectacular museum quality mounts made by several artists, including Ikeda Takao and what appears to be a late tanto signed Yamato Kuni Norinaga, that certainly doesn't match the famous Kamakura era maker.  I thought I would throw in a low bid just in case nobody was watching, but no such luck.  Realized price was $40K, a lot for a modern era piece, but the solid gold mounts are truly impressive.  I captured a few screenshots so we have them memorialized on the NMB.  

[Surfson]

One more that makes the case.

[SAS]

Those mounts are happening. The blade looks like it might be running out of polishes.

[Hoshi]

Those mounts will go Juyo. The maker is one of the best late Meiji makers. 

 

The dagger confuses me. 17th century does not seem correct, and the signature is not the typical EDO, deep chisel strokes but more a tentative old signature in the koto flavor. No idea what it is. Speculatively, and I can't read the Kanji, it could be one of the Shikkake line Norinagas, and signed work is incredibly rare. If that's the case, blade could go Juyo too. On the other hand, the Nakago seems to have a too 'thin' patina for this to be old Yamato work and the shaping of the Nakago is not good either, unless it's been reshaped. It's a bit of a mess and raises many red flags.

 

My money is on some no name Edo smith. Original blade was high quality, and got swapped later. But the provenance is the original client for the Koshirae, which makes this unlikely. Puzzling. 

 

The mounts itself justify the price though. A typical case of Christies hiding a specialized item into Painting & Pottery. 

[BIG]

Other realised Lot..

 

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/prints-multiples/katsushika-hokusai-kanagawa-oki-nami-ura-6192407-details.aspx?from=salesummery&intobjectid=6192407&sid=829c5bf9-85b6-48d6-b967-60e19d33fcdb

 

Best

[Surfson]

My quick thought about the tanto was gimei, based on Hawley's, Fujishiro and the Nihonto Zuikan.  But this was a very quick study.  

[SteveM]

Other realised Lot..

 

 

Wow, I don't get the price for that print. Maybe some of the print dealers, aficionados can explain it. If it were an original print of The Big Wave from the original first printing, in excellent condition, I might not think much about it. But this seems to be some kind of re-print. Nearly half a million bucks for a print, though. Seems way too high. 

 

Oh, and I agree, the koshirae in the original post has some fabulous furnishings on it. 

[Prewar70]

Gimei or not that blade is in sad shape