K80. Tanto signed Naniwa no Ju Gassan Sadayoshi Saku and dated Bunkyu Yon Nen Ni gatsu Hi (a day in February of 1864).

Nagasa: 12 1/4″ 31 cm.

Sori: .2 cm.

Moto haba: 3 cm.

Moto kasane: .8 cm. (thick)

Nakago Nagasa: 4 1/4″ 10.8 cm.

Overall in koshirae: 18 3/8″ 46.6 cm.

Hira zukuri, iore mune. The hada is ko-itame tending towards ko-nuka (very fine & tight). The hamon, worked in a bright, clear, & consistant nioi guchi and covered in ko-nie, is choji midare with long ashi. The boshi is ko maru with a medium kaeri and spots of mune-yaki down the mune. The blade is in polish and with the exception of one spot of slightly loose grain under the brass habaki on the ura, it is perfectly flawless. There is a shirasaya with well made tsunagi.

The koshirae, as pictured, is in excellent condition; a few minor dings to the lacquer of the saya and nothing else to tell you of. The shakudo tsuba has remarkably fine nanako; the kogatana has been polished.

Early in his carreer, Sadayoshi studied with the Shinshinto Master smith Suishinshi Masahide. At the time of Masahide’s death, Sadayoshi moved to Osaka and set out to refound the Dewa Gassan School of sword making. If you google Gassan Sadayoshi you will learn a lot more about this important swordsmith. This tanto comes with a paper issued in 1978 by Fukunaga Suiken, attesting to the authenticity of the signature and quality of the work (“Very good”). 2 pounds. $4,950.