Tanto for evaluation

[jaxmon]

Hello everyone,

I am a very much newbie to this forum. I have been offered with purchase of tanto. As my knowledge of Japanese weapons is so very limited, I would like to ask you to evaluate tanto in question. Is it possible to determine its originality based on attached pictures. Thank you all so much for any input.

Sincerely,

Simon 

[SteveM]

Looks like a genuine antique Japanese tantō in a lovely ribbed scabbard. The signature says 

備州長船（住人）則光作

Bishū Osafune jūnin Norimitsu saku

 

Made by Norimitsu, resident of Osafune in Bishū province.

 

The two characters in the middle are obliterated by the peg hole, but we can guess what they are from the context. Note there were a lot of smiths named "Norimitsu". Also, while the item itself is a genuine antique, I don't know if the signature is genuine or not. In general, it looks like a nice ensemble.

 

Normally you would also want to see full photos of the blade, and more close-ups, in order to verify there aren't any fatal flaws. Most of the value will be in the blade, so I always get slightly suspicious when there are more pictures of the scabbard than there are of the blade. But you also have to be realistic about what the item is, the price, and your own motivations for buying. If you are just looking for an genuine samurai antique, you can be forgiving of a lot of things.

 

[Rivkin]

Strongly suspect its shinshinto or showa and a gimei. Dense featureless hada, bright nioi-guchi which is however seen at once everywhere, completely flat hamon, deeply carved signature.

[Baba Yaga]

Someone, it not a few put a lot of money into a blade and without polishing that looks very suspicious. The Kozuka is missing, which may have been quality and may have been sold off. 

IMO when I see a blade like this and I've seen many, it tells a story that's it's been in a a lot of different hands, Those fitting also look newer and the wrapping odd, Just mu opinion.  

[jaxmon]

thank you very much for your answers. After all is it worth to buy it?

[Geraint]

Dear Simon.

 

As has been said it is a Japanese tanto, the saya is nice and the rest of the mounts are OK.  As long as it's not being sold with an eye to the big name and it's cheap enough then why not?  As has been said the mei is probably more of a tribute than anything, I have a Shinshinto tanto that is signed Ryokai and clearly has nothing to do with that school.

 

We don't know how much you are thinking of paying which might change a lot of things.

 

If you are thinking of starting to collect then, if nothing else, you can use it as a marker for how your knowledge is progressing. 

 

Let us know what you decide.

 

All the best.

[jaxmon]

11 hours ago, Geraint said:

Dear Simon.

 

As has been said it is a Japanese tanto, the saya is nice and the rest of the mounts are OK.  As long as it's not being sold with an eye to the big name and it's cheap enough then why not?  As has been said the mei is probably more of a tribute than anything, I have a Shinshinto tanto that is signed Ryokai and clearly has nothing to do with that school.

 

We don't know how much you are thinking of paying which might change a lot of things.

 

If you are thinking of starting to collect then, if nothing else, you can use it as a marker for how your knowledge is progressing. 

 

Let us know what you decide.

 

All the best.

Thank you Geraint. I have offer of 1K to purchase this tanto in question. Most important for me is that it is not a reproduction but original period item.