Koto Soshu School Tanto/Wakizashi

bigjohnshea · March 11, 2024

Tanto/Wakizashi
Ubu
Mumei

Koto era (Tenbun or earlier)

Nagasa 12.47"

Papers:
Honami Koryo appraisal paper (comes with blade)

NTHK-NPO worksheet scan (papers were lost by last owner)

Mount:
Shirasaya (nice shirasaya but no functional habaki, had a wood habaki at one point which the previous owner mistreated and is now broken, will send it if you want the piece I have of it.)

Features:

Shinogizukure, mitsumune, tanagobara nakago

Gunome, Gunome togare, Choji, Nie deki, Mokume, itame, jinie, chikei

Flaws:

Some small areas polished beyond jacket steel, but nothing that would hold it back from passing a shinsa.

Location:

USA, will ship worldwide if buyer pays

Payment Methods Accepted:

Zelle, Paypal, Venmo

Price and Currency: $2950 US

Open to offers!

Not open to trade or lay away at this time

Other Description: This is a very appreciable Soshu school tanto/wakizashi with two notable attributions. One by Honami Koryo to Soshu Hiromitsu. One by Miyano Sensei to Soshu Sukemune in Tenbun. I have never owned a papered blade by either of those smiths so my only comparisons are from reference books and online resources. There's a good argument to be made either way when comparing the blade to those attributions, though it would be foolish (in this day and age) to claim in a sale that this is Soshu Hiromitsu without an NBTHK paper agreeing with you.

As you can tell there is some really nice work in the blade, though marred by slight over polishing in a few areas where jacket steel has been lost. The hamon is active and full. Regardless of the lack of accoutrements (no habaki, no koshirae, etc.) this is an attractive Koto Soshu school blade offered at an entry level price for someone to study and enjoy.

Do not be afraid to make offers. Anyone who has worked with me in the past knows I am not overly tied to the price.

Cheers!