Unknown Tanto

[Chriso]

G'day all,

If anyone is able to help, I'm looking for a bit of information and a possible starting point for study on this tanto. It looks and feels great, but I'm afraid the attached pics do it little justice.

I've been told that it is possibly late Shinto to early Shin Shinto. The Menuki seem to me to belong to the Tokugawa Clan, if this is the case I'm wondering if it is logical to assume that the Tanto may have been made for one of the Clan members.

There is no Mei on the Nakago however there is a Bonji Horimono on the blade which seems to be quite well executed, if there is a meaning to the Bonji it it is out of my league. The fittings all match although the Kogai is missing and I would like to pick one up in the same theme if I can find one. In regards to the fittings (pics on the second posting) I would appreciate any views as to the theme they may represent, or perhaps they are just nice carvings?

The Nagasa is 30cm and the Habaki is silver which matches the silver areas of the fittings.The Unokubi-Zukuri also adds a bit of definition to the shape of the blade.

There is quite a nice Hamon, although it is partially hidden by the blade being out of polish

 

Once again many thanks for any assistance (my second posting has pics of the other fittings)

 

Best wishes Chris

[Chriso]

I've attached a couple of extra pics of the fittings here.

 

Chris O

[pcfarrar]

The fittings depict Japanese horsetail a type of fern.

 

It is called a Matsuhiro koshirae, as they originate from the Matsuhiro feif in Shinano province.

 

This is another example:

 

http://www.e-sword.jp/sale/0810_3012syousai.htm

[Nobody]

You will find something.

Ref. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4854&p=37618

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

Could you please show us a close up of the nakago ?

Bonji looks like "Miroku Bosatsu".

I would say koshirae is bakumatsu.

 

Sébastien

[Chriso]

I appreciate your comments very much, thanks. I've attached a couple of pics of the Nakago but it looks pretty uninteresting to me I'm afraid. Once again sorry for the quality, I'm doing this by the light of the winter moon in Canberra.

Chris O

[Grey Doffin]

The nakago looks no earlier than Shin-Shinto, maybe even Meiji. The Bonji seems out of place to me. Sometimes horimono was placed to cover a defect in the blade. It looks like there is a patch of rough steel along side the Bonji; possibly there was a blister that needed to disappear.

I could be wrong about this, and a nice looking piece regardless.

Grey

[Chriso]

Thanks for that Grey. I think you are right with the Bonji, I've added a close up which shows a couple of small forging faults.

Just a quick question for anyone if I may and totally off the subject, are Kozuka and Kogai all the same size or do they differ depending on the item they are fitted to such as Tanto, Katana or Wak????

 

Chris O