Details
A HIZEN TADAYOSHI TANTO
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1650), SIGNED TADAYOSHI SAKU, ATTRIBUTED TO TADAYOSHI III
Configuration (sugata): kissakimoroha-zukuri (the longitudinal ridge line [shonigi], lifting slightly towards the end of the blade, meets the cutting edge directly at the point while the upper half of the back of the blade has been thinned to take a cutting edge and was so tempered) with shallow peaked back (iori-mune); length (nagasa): 5 sun, 7 bu (17.3 cm.); carving (horimono): inside (ura): Bishamon hoko (banner of Bishamon); outside (omote): nagabonji (a lengthy Sanscrit inscription above a stylized lotus flower).
Forging pattern (jihada): a fine. sily, well-compacted wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): almost straight, but with a slight swell on both sides, executed in nie, but along the swells it becomes coarse (ara-nie) and forms into slight patterns of 'swept sands' (sunagashi).
Point (boshi): small rounded (ko-maru) and turning into a straight hamon along the back cutting edge.
Tang (nakago) shape (keitai): tapering, ubu and with a dry, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): flat (kiri-yasuri); end (nakagojiri): rounded (kuri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one hyotan-ana (double, one plugged with copper); signature (mei), katana-mei: Tadayoshi saku; date (jidai): 8-gatsu kichi-nichi (an auspicious day in the 8th month). [Some superficial scratches on the boshi.]
Aikuchi-koshirae comprising: a grained wood saya; black horn kojiri and fuchi-kashira; a silver ring kurikata set on an encircling silver band; tsutsugane tsuka set with a wide silver band fitted with a pair of tsubo menuki in gold, silver and shakudo with a cuckoo amidst plum and a quail amidst grasses---length of koshirae 29.6 cm., length of tsuka 8.2 cm. [Some light dents and scratches; kurikata reset.]
Silk brocade storage bag.
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1650), SIGNED TADAYOSHI SAKU, ATTRIBUTED TO TADAYOSHI III
Configuration (sugata): kissakimoroha-zukuri (the longitudinal ridge line [shonigi], lifting slightly towards the end of the blade, meets the cutting edge directly at the point while the upper half of the back of the blade has been thinned to take a cutting edge and was so tempered) with shallow peaked back (iori-mune); length (nagasa): 5 sun, 7 bu (17.3 cm.); carving (horimono): inside (ura): Bishamon hoko (banner of Bishamon); outside (omote): nagabonji (a lengthy Sanscrit inscription above a stylized lotus flower).
Forging pattern (jihada): a fine. sily, well-compacted wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): almost straight, but with a slight swell on both sides, executed in nie, but along the swells it becomes coarse (ara-nie) and forms into slight patterns of 'swept sands' (sunagashi).
Point (boshi): small rounded (ko-maru) and turning into a straight hamon along the back cutting edge.
Tang (nakago) shape (keitai): tapering, ubu and with a dry, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): flat (kiri-yasuri); end (nakagojiri): rounded (kuri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one hyotan-ana (double, one plugged with copper); signature (mei), katana-mei: Tadayoshi saku; date (jidai): 8-gatsu kichi-nichi (an auspicious day in the 8th month). [Some superficial scratches on the boshi.]
Aikuchi-koshirae comprising: a grained wood saya; black horn kojiri and fuchi-kashira; a silver ring kurikata set on an encircling silver band; tsutsugane tsuka set with a wide silver band fitted with a pair of tsubo menuki in gold, silver and shakudo with a cuckoo amidst plum and a quail amidst grasses---length of koshirae 29.6 cm., length of tsuka 8.2 cm. [Some light dents and scratches; kurikata reset.]
Silk brocade storage bag.