Koto Tanto
S0190
SOLD
A hirazukure takenoba tanto. Iroi mune. Hawatare: 8 sun 5 bu 1.4 rin (25.8 cm or 10.16"). Motohaba: 2.49 cm. Kasane: 5.8 mm. Itame nagare hadatatsu, ji nie. Hitatsura, long nijuba on both ha and mune, long bright kinsuji, gunome, midare, ashi, yo, profuse hataraki, nado. The hamon is a great deal more brilliant and active than I was able to picture. In Japanese polish, shirasaya, and with a black horn habaki. Signed, Bizen Kuni Ju Osafune Yoshimitsu Saku, and dated, ni gatsu ju ichi __. I can not think of a more unlikely mei for this tanto. There is an NTHK rejection slip suggesting that the work is by Hiroyoshi of Wakasa, circa. 1570.
A new collector had been given the opportunity to own this at $3,500, post shinsa, he was feeling very disappointed, especially since the seller would offer him no satisfaction. Thus, it came into my hands. As a mumei tanto, I think that $3,500 is not out of line. The mei is shallow, and should be removed, and submitted to shinsa. There is a Shimada smith working very close to this time.