Bonhams sale - San Francisco

[Baka Gaijin]

Good evening all,

 

Excuse me if I've posted in the wrong area, but there's a very interesting tanto for sale in San Francisco, at Bonhams.

 

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.s ... 87-1-1.jpg

 

The points of interest for me are:

 

1 The semi circular cut out on the tang,,,,,what is that?

 

2 The 5 7 5 leaf Paulownia Imperialis on the saya and the 3 5 3 Paulownia on the menuki...why?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[cspage]

A "tanto" nagasa at 41.9cm? Looks like someone at Bonham's needs to refresh themselves on teminology, yes?

 

Colin

[Grey Doffin]

They have the signature on the blade wrong also. Reads Kane something.

I have no idea why the semi circle cut out of the nakago; can't even think of a slightly plausible explanation. Someone please enlighten us.

Grey

[cspage]

I saw that, too, and then I realized it was probably the backdrop fabric draped over whatever stand was holding the blade at a slight angle (note the inside of the mekugi-ana being visible), not a cutout. At least that's what I think I see.

 

Colin

[Jean]

Perhaps Kanetsugu but very unclear

[W K Clifford]

hi, i am new here.

 

i think the mei is 兼今，should be one of the Sue-Seki school smiths.

[W K Clifford]

it is very doubtful if Bonham has anyone capable of nihonto appraisal:

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200504A13.html

 

she actually said that the valuable parts of the swords were the fittings, ugh!

[bdgrange]

Dessa Goddard, the appraiser, is very knowleageable re. Nihonto.

She was with Butterfields now Bonhams. She enjoys a large following and

knows the subject in most aspects for a long time. She directed the Asian

Arts department for Butterfields for a number of years. Proofreading is

not their forte however.

best

Bill de

[Nobody]

The mei could be 兼分 (Kanewake?) around Tembun era.