Lot Essay
Born in 1576, Kunimichi was a student of Ichijo Horikawa. He lived into his seventies and is known for having worked in a variety of styles, but is best known for his So-den work, of which this tanto is a typical example.
A date of circa 1620 has been given to this blade based on several characteristics of the chiseling style of the signature. Kunimichi did not receive the title Dewa Daijo until 1616 and at that time his signature (the "michi" in particular) was written in cursive style. Within four years, the chiseling of "michi" had started to become block-like. The kanji on this blade exhibits a transitional block configuration which was to become more emphatically blockish by the first year of Kan-ei (1624).
A date of circa 1620 has been given to this blade based on several characteristics of the chiseling style of the signature. Kunimichi did not receive the title Dewa Daijo until 1616 and at that time his signature (the "michi" in particular) was written in cursive style. Within four years, the chiseling of "michi" had started to become block-like. The kanji on this blade exhibits a transitional block configuration which was to become more emphatically blockish by the first year of Kan-ei (1624).