Kunihiro in navy mounts 1883.

[Kai-Gunto]

Hello

I just got this very huge naval dagger ,its on the top with 2 normal size in first picture.

 

It has a tanto blade mounted with the signature : Kunihiro tsukuru.

 

My question is ,Kunihiro who? Is it from 1300 or 1500 century.

 

Thanks in regards..

 

http://img809.imageshack.us/slideshow/w ... ihiro0.jpg

[Veli]

Hello Thomas!

 

Impressive mounts!

 

Somehow I get the feeling that the blade is from the 19th century (Hada is not really visible, habuchi is dim, and the mei looks rather young, and not too elegantly carved). I may be mistaken as well, but I'd say the blade is definitely not from the 14th century, probably not from the 16th, either. There was a number of Kunihiros also in the 19th century.

 

This is a personal and unlearned opinion only. Please wait for more knowledgeable answers!

 

BR, Veli

[Kai-Gunto]

Yes ,its very impressive mounts.

 

My pictures didnt catch the hada . but its there. It looks to have been polished many times due too the missing hamachi.

Compared to an another older blade I got with 3 mekugiana .this mei is very well done.

The blade is much thinner than the nakago , due to many years of polish.

 

Looking forward to se if theres any other blades out in the collections from the same smith.

[Veli]

Well, as I said its all guesswork. The nakago patina looks indeed older than 19th c., but the burr in the mei still has sharp features. Furthermore, there is only one mekugiana. The depth of the chiselling varies a lot, especially in the "作" -kanji.

 

BR, Veli

[Kai-Gunto]

Veli ,thanks for Your replys.

[Stephen]

I see it from around mid 1600s, lack of ha machi says its seen a few polishes, as for the mei standing up is not always a clue.

[Kai-Gunto]

Thanks Stephen,

 

Is it possible too find out which Kunihiro it is?

What do I have too look for in the blade?

 

 

Any opinions helpful. Should I get it polished?

[Veli]

Stephen,

 

It may well be an older blade than what I first thought. However, tanto were rare from mid to late 17th century. Also what is peculiar, the blade seems to be polished several times, but there seems to be no hadaware visible in the photos (Thomas, can you see any ware when holding the blade in hand?). If the tanto would be a late koto one, I'd expect core steel and consequently some ware to show. The steel looks "tighter" than one would expect, which might indicate a late date of manufacture?

 

Maybe early shinto? Somehow I still think it is more recent, but I may well be wrong.

 

BR, Veli

[Kai-Gunto]

Hello Veli,

 

It has 3 hada ware over the bohi.

 

http://img811.imageshack.us/g/navydagge ... hiro0.jpg/

[Lindus]

I would go with Stephen on this, as to the cutting of the mei standing too proud, that would depend on usage and even if the owners saw it as a treasure......check out the mei on my Shigetaka illustrated in the question on the smith a little way back.

 

Roy

[Stephen]

Thomas, id polish it only if you wanted to preserve it for history, doubt you'd ever re cope the cost, a good togi could help with the blisters. It is a good bit of history for the Military collectors to have such a blade in what is usually machine blades. So a polish would also warrant a new liner for the saya as well.

after polish a shinsa would tell which Kunihiro, as you know there were many.

[Kai-Gunto]

hello Stephen.

Thanks for Your reply.

I have been looking for a long time too find an old blade in navy mounts.I got it for a low price IMO.

I think I wait with the togi a little bit

I was aware about the shirasaya.I will get some honoki wood and make a shirasaya and a tsunagi for the mounts.I have done that with another early 1883 navy dirk.

 

I hope one day I find out which Kunihiro it is.

[Veli]

Roy, Stephen,

 

Could you elaborate a bit with the timing... If we assume this blade would be older than shinshinto, wouldn't it then logically originate from late 16th or early 17th century? Wouldn't placing this blade into mid 17th century make it rather exceptional, since few tantos were made in those days, or at least so they say in the books ?

 

BR, Veli