Great Wife Means Tanto for Birthday!

I just had to brag a bit, my wife let me take an early look at my birthday present. It's a tanto, with an old polish in shirasaya.

My initial, and quite amateur, impression is Gendaito / Shinto.

Hamon: Toran / Gunome

Nakago: Futsu with Sujikai file markings and Iriyamagate Nakago-Jiri

Nagasa: 18.4 cm

Mune Machi: 25.7 cm

Any more information would be appreciated!

Last pic for now.

Hi Brock,

Neither Shinto nor Gendaito. Showato. This was made during WWII and isn't real Nihonto. No idea why these were made but they are quite commonly seen. Also may be possible it was made Meiji or later to sell to toursts from the West.

Grey

Thanks, Grey. It was sold to my wife as a modern blade, so I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. But, now the sentimental value makes it priceless to me. I meant to type showato, but typed shinto by mistake.

Hi,

I think that this is an important present from your wife. :D

Those Tanto was sold as a souvenir of sightseeing in some Shinto shrine at the beginning of the Showa period.

My uncle had said that he had bought such a Tanto from a stall in the Shinto shrine in the school excursion when he was a junior high school student. (修学旅行)

Thanks Morita!

Just a question, when was your uncle in junior high school? I'm just wondering about the time-period in the Showa period....

Hi,

Around '30-'40. :D

Thanks Morita, it gives me the ability to add a bit of the history behind the blade.

Next time we cross paths at a sword show I owe you a beverage of choice!