Koto Tanto in Very Nicely Done Koshirae
Signature:  Mumei.
Year Made:  Koto?
Forging Pattern: very scratched and tired, hard to tell.
Tempering Pattern: midare in ko-nie.
Dimensions:  Blade Length:  12.5 inches  Nakago: 5 inches 6 mm thick and 27 mm wide at Hamachi
Mountings:  Very nice mounting done in brass and silver trimmed fittings with a kogatana (with visible hamon) and kogai, nice menuki of birds perching done in shakudo and gold plate, large nodule samé and possibly recent ito. All fittings done ensuite with a mottled design. Saya in red and black speckled lacquer in excellent shape with a fern in dark gold leaf on the omote. Some dents in the lacquer and some lacquer missing from kurikata but generally excellent. Habaki was once shakudo but now worn to copper.
Overall Condition:  This is a tired and polished down probably koto era hira zukuri tanto done in the Soshu style. The sword has been cleaned and is slightly rounded at the cutting edge. The nakago appears to be ubu though machi okuri. The sword is tired in places with ware but detail of the hada is hard to make out due to scratching. The hamon shows much activity although it is very close to the edge and appears to run off in one place (see pics) but we'll let you be the judge. There are many activities still visible in the hamon including kinsugi, nijuba and ji-nie, the tip of the boshi on the ura is quite something, a whirlpool of activity. This was once a fine blade and the care in remounting shows that someone cared quite a bit for this blade. It would make a very attractive display piece with an interesting old blade to study.
Item: 1206tanto1

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