tanto hamon

[johnb]

I picked up a tanto in an Antique shop in Jakarta. (posted here a week or so ago). The hamon, ( a pretty wild gunome) is 99% identical both sides. Is this common with tanto's of or does it sugest a particular school?

 

John B

[Darcy]

Identical hamon on both sides is a sign of the Muramasa school.

 

The nakago though doesn't look like Muramasa school.

 

I'd definitely follow it up though, probably needs a window opened up to see the jihada and hamon in more detail.

[johnb]

Hi Darcy. On of the other guys here reckoned... "with a bit of imagination, and of course I could be completely wrong but I think it reads KANEMASU. It's nakago and blade shape also seem "Seki-ish" to me which would be consistent with what I think looks like late Koto work. Just a guess of course" .

I've attached a pic of the mie, I'd be very interested in your opinion.

 

John B

[Darcy]

The mei stumps me, I don't recognize the second character, first could be Kane.

 

It doesn't strike me as lat Muromachi work, how long is it? You'd expect either a stubby tanto that is 90% like a kamakura piece and 10% like a yoroidoshi, or else a wider tanto that is like late Nanbokucho work but with some saki-zori.

 

This looks more like early Muromachi style of shape, something similar to what the Bizen smiths Yasumitsu and Morimitsu were making, but the nakago does not look right for them. I think it may have been polished down a bit, how is the kasane in the nakago compared to the rest of it?

 

So this doesn't rule in or out much, could be early to mid Muromachi Mino or Soshu, or else a Shinshinto work I think.

[Rich T]

Taka something, maybe Uji or To

Takauji - 高氏 - Harima, Momoyama.

 

Takato - 高任 - Settsu, early Edo.

 

Just thoughts.

 

Rich

[Jean]

Hi John,

 

Is it possible to have :

 

- a picture of the whole blade without the habaki, I'd like to have a clear view of the Hi and how it ends

 

- Nagasa and Nakago length

 

I agree with Darcy, it is not the stubby Bizen nakago.

 

It looks like an End of Muromachi/Momoyama Mino tanto (though could be Nambokucho because of this kind of Hi quite common)

 

Have a look at Dr Stein English commercial sites, it could give a hint.

 

An always interesting picture in Nihonto is the one showing the thikness of the blade (mune side) at the place of the habaki (once removed)

[johnb]

Hi Jean, can't really snap the hamon but the drawing is clumsy but acurate. Also the way the plus full pic of the nakago.I was thinking it might be late Muromach but soshu-den style.

[Jean]

Hi John,

 

I shall stick to sue Mino and from the start it made me think of Kanefusa (end of Muromachi) though the hi is typicall of Nambokucho tantos :

 

A copy of a Nambokucho tanto :

http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/tanto/3sword08.html

 

An original one :

 

http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/tanto/04289.html

 

Question : Nie deki or Nioi deki hamon?

 

This suguta is typical of End of Muromachi/beginning of Momoyama where we can find this kind of sunobi tanto/ko wakizashi.

 

Have a look at this link :

 

http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/wakizashi/06359.html

 

Look at the oshigata and the Jizo boshi

[johnb]

I'm with you on this Jean, as for Nie deki or Nioi deki it's impossible to see in the condition it's in.

[johnb]

I can't complain it only cost about $150. here's the menuki that are part of the package.

[Jean]

Splendid!!!!

[Martin]

Hi John,

 

how do the Menuki look like when attached to the Koshirae?

Are they part of an Aikuchi Koshirae?

 

cheers,

Martin

[johnb]

Yes Martin, it is an Aikuchi Koshirae. It's taken a bit of a beating over the years. I love the lacquer finish.

[ferrylaki]

Yes Martin, it is an Aikuchi Koshirae. It's taken a bit of a beating over the years. I love the lacquer finish.

 

great find John...

very beautiful....

[kusunokimasahige]

well worth to have fully restored!!!

 

KM