Tanto Signed: Bizen koku ju Ietsugu "備前国住家次"

[AlphaRaider]

Hey everyone,

 

Below is a new Tanto I received this past week. I hope you all enjoy the pictures, I will update this thread with Tang pictures shortly.

 

After I found a Bizen sword a few months ago at a show in Colorado Springs I've been searching for something to complement it. I came across this neat Tanto recently and its beautiful Saya with blue sea shells immediately caught my attention. Combine that with a Bizen province sword smith and a good looking blade and I figured it would be a solid deal and its easy to travel with

 

-Hira Zukuri Tanto

-Tang Mei: Bizen Koku Ju Letsugu

-Muromachi Period. ca 1500's era made blade

-Old Polish

-Temper Line Wavy Chusuguba w/ konie active with deep temper at point

-Forging Grain: Tight item-hada

-Scabbard is blue sea shell inlay urushi lacquered wood 

-Shakudo Fuchi/Kashira

-Tsuba: Marugata w/ gold inlay iron

-Cutting edge 11 + 15/16"

-Width: 1 + 1/16"

-Thickness: 4.5mm at the notch

-Length in mountings: 19 + 1/2"

-Province: Bizen

 

- digging up more info...

 

J. Hoff

 

 

[AlphaRaider]

Here are a few blade pictures:

[Bazza]

DANG DANG DANG - TANG TANG TANG

Gomen...

[AlphaRaider]

Here are a few more including the tang.

 

[drbvac]

These are excellent pictures of a lovely blade and koshira !!!! Well done - did you actually just pick this up at a local show ?  For your sake I hope the seller did not really know what he was selling !

[AlphaRaider]

This was purchesed online for a fair price.

 

I'm sure the seller had a good idea what it was in all honesty. I would have paid more for it. I'm quite happy I even added a nice Kozuka and kogotana.