Higo Metazashi Kikuchi Tanto

S0398

SOLD

A rare metazashi mount, worn on the right side, with an o-suriage koto Higo Enju Kikuchi yari mounted as a tanto.  Hawatare:  1 sun 1 bu  8 rin ( 21.75 cm / 8.5625")  Motohaba:  1.97 cm.  Kasane:  9.7 mm.  Chu suguba with small irregular patterns, in konie, strong, dark line like inazuma, but but dark, lacking the purple color, nado.  Masame hada muted jinie, chikei, nado.   Excellent horimono.

The tsuka is plain black lacquered same, with horn kashira, and plain blue black shakudo fuchi.  The tsuba is a squared moku with round openings at each bevel, and an additional opening, perhaps for a retaining cord, or a hair to remind the samurai to think before drawing the blade.  The saya is plain black lacquer, black horn kurikata, mounted without a kurikata (which could indicate a woman's knife), however there is a fan shaped kaerizuno with gold Hosokawa mon on either side.   The habaki is two piece, a solid silver bas with a shakudo base with vines in in katakiribori.   In good polish.  This piece has never been to shinsa. 

a