Japanese Swords

Mino no Kuni Kaneto Tanto with Edo Period Koshirae

Mino Sword smiths were famous, amongst them Sekino Magoruku Kanemoto, Nosada ( Kanesada ) who were well known and respected. Kaneto also worked in that turbulent period of Japanese History. His works are very rare as are the other two aforementioned Sword smiths and rarely ever come up for sale outside of Japan.

Era : Muromachi Jidai (Era)
Hacho : ( Edge length ) 27.5 cm , slight curvature.
Moto-haba : (Width at Ha-machi ) 2.8cm
Kasane : (Thickness) 0.6cm
Meguki Ana : ( hole in Tang) 1
Nakago : Ubu ( Unaltered, original)
Mei : KANETO - He Lived in Seki, MINO 1504-1521 ( Muromachi Jidai )
Hamon: Ko Nie Deki Midare
Jitetsu : Ko itame hada and komokume hada, jinie, shirake utsuri.
Habaki is Silver over copper

Overall condition of Tanto is perfect.
Overall condition of Koshirae is perfect.

KOSHIRAE : (Ornate mountings )
Finally crushed Abalone shells incorporated into the lacquer of this Tanto scabbard give it a green , shimmering finish, the period fittings are off the same design and certified.

Explanation : This Tanto comes from a turbulent part of Japanese Samurai History, Mino Sword smiths were renowned for their Sword making. Mino no Kuni was a province that is today called southern Gifu Prefecture . There were many famous Sword smiths working in Mino amongst them Sekino Magoroku Kanemoto, and Nosada who were well revered. Tanto by KANETO are very rare and this is the first time I have had the opportunity to find one and make it available for collectors, it comes from a Japanese collector. The Hamon is balanced on both sides and it is polished in Sashikomi polish ( The classical style ) exhibiting a beautiful uniform hamon on both sides of the blade. The Hamon of the Kissaki ( Boshi ) is beautiful on both sides and adds an expression to the Tanto. I highly recommend this Tanto and Koshirae as an important part of Japanese Samurai History. This is the first work of Kaneto that I have seen in many years of collecting.

Certification : NBTHK Hozon certificates for Tanto and also Koshirae ( double certificates ) verifying the authenticity.

Price On Request (terms & conditions)

Setsumei: (explanation )

Kunimichi was a student of HOROKAWA KUNIHIRO and was recognised as an outstanding smith the most clever and skilled in the Horikawa Mon.
Kunimichi enjoyed a long life and extant date signatures range from the 13th year of Keicho 1608 to the 3rd year Meireki 1657. His typical Hamon is the same as Kunihiro his teacher, however his range of work is much broader with Kunimichi the wildness of the Hamon is very intense, therefore there is a great deal more nie and nioi than Kunihiro, and these are works with a feeling of exuberance. This Wakizashi shows his best work in the Hamon and is spectacular . In addition the Sukashibori Horimono is spectacular and has been carved on both sides and goes from one side through to the other with virtually identical work on both sides and fine detail. Normally because Swords have been polished over the years the Horimono sharpness would diminish and on very old Swords the Horimono is polished to the extent that most of it has disappeared due to repetitive polishing of the Sword. However on this Wakizashi the Horimono is 100% perfect as is the rest of the Sword in extremely healthy state. The polish is also supreme and this Wakizashi is a masterpiece by Kunimichi. Held in the hand and observed the Wakizashi excels in beauty and supreme craftsmanship.

Wakizashi signed : Dewa No Daijo Fujiwara Kunimichi

Era: Edo Shinto
Nakago: Ubu ( Untouched original ) Maru Mune, Yasurime is o-sujigai. The finish is excellently executed.
Mei: The large and deep tagane atari are rich in ambition.
Nagasa : ( Blade length ) 45.6 cm
Meguki Ana : One Hole
Width at Hamachi : 3.2 cm
Width at Kissaki : 2.2 cm
Sori : 1.25 cm
Kasane : 0.6 cm
Hamon : Nie - Deki Notare with Gunome / on this Wakizashi he created a wild and intense spectacular Hamon. Out of the many Kunimichi that I have seen in Japan this is one of his supreme works.
Jitetsu: Koitame Hada well grained with Mokume- Hada mixed with Jinie attached.

Certification: NBTHK Hozon Certification stating its Authenticity

Shirasaya Sayagaki by Tanobe Michiro ( Former managing Director, Nippon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai, The japanese Sword Museum Tokyo.)

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Tanto signed NAGAYOSHI HEIANJO

Yamashiro Eisho era about 1510年前　Edge length： 23.6㎝　Curvature:Minimal

Thickness:5.3mm
Engraving: Front[Suken inkoku] Back[Sen shu raku]
Back of the edge called Mune [Bohi]

Shirasaya:Sayagaki by Dr.Kanzan Sato

Gold foil single Habaki

Koshirae : Black Aikuchi Koshirae with Black Same Tsuka

Fittings : Mumei Mukade Menuki ( Centipede ) and Mumei Mukade Kozuka from late Muromachi Period. Koshirae is in exceptional condition.

Registered in 1951 in Tokyo

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

Price On Request (terms & conditions)

Nagayoshi was a sword smith who was good at engraving works like Suken, Bonji, Japanese-characters etc. His home was Yamashiro province. It was said that there were some Nagayoshi generations from Ouei-era to Eisho-era. This Tanto is attributed to the fifth generation Nagayoshi. He forged a lot of pieces in Yamato province, Mikawa province and Ise province. You may know that the famous Sword Smith Muramasa in Ise province was trained under 5th generation Nagayoshi. This Tanto shape is really elegant and balanced well with 「千秋楽」Senshuraku engraving. And I have never seen the engraving ( groove ) on the back of edge ( Mune ). I am not sure why Nagayoshi did it on the Mune, but it might be the blood flowing channel, this is extremely rare. HEIANJO NAGAYOSHI 5th Generation Tanto are extremely rare. This Tanto has been preserved in perfect condition as is the Koshirae.

I can feel the threatening atmosphere in this engraving. It was a Tanto which had a purpose to protect the owner. The Suken on the front-side is a perfect Yamashiro style Suken. You can find the top of Suken wider and it was positioned along the Mune-side. These are specific points of Yamashiro engraving. It has a Japanese calligraphy note by Kanzan Sato “It was forged by Heianjo Nagayoshi but it is the Nijimei Nagayoshi signed piece”.

 

Koshirae: Black Aikuchi Koshirae with Black Same Tsuka

Fittings: Mumei Mukade Menuki ( Centipede ) and Mumei Mukade Kozuka from late Muromachi Period. Koshirae is in exceptional condition.

 

HEIANJO NAGAYOSHI Shirasaya explanation.

へいあんじょうながよし	２じざいめいなり	ながさ　７すん８ぶあり	しょうわ38ねんしょとう
	(にじ)	（ななすん）（はちぶ）	かんざんしるす　かおう
ぎんむぎあいくちこしらえ

Heianjo-Nagayoshi	2-Ji-Zaimei-Nari	Nagasa- 7-Sun-8-Buari	Syowa-38-Nen Syotou
	(Ni-Ji)	（Nana-Sun）（Hachi-Bu）	Kanzan-Shirusu Kaou
	Aikuchi-Koshirae