Q472. Mumei tanto.

Nagasa: 9 1/2″ 24.1 cm.

Sori: 3 mm.

Moto haba: 3.2 cm.

Moto kasane: .6 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 3 15/16″ 10 cm.

Overall in shirasaya: 16 1/16″ 40.8 cm.

Hira zukuri, iore mune, ubu 2 holes. There is a koshi-bi on the omote and gomabashi-hi on the ura. The hada is ko-itame or nashiji. The hamon, nioi guchi with the finest of ko-nie, is a gentle notare with a few peaks of harder steel riding on top, some of which float above the hamon as isolated tempered areas: yo. The boshi is o-maru with a long kaeri that becomes mune-yaki. The blade is mounted in shirasaya with a solid silver habaki. It is in polish except for a scuff under the habaki on the omote. There are a couple incredibly shallow nicks in the kissaki; I can’t see them but I can catch them with my fingernail. This tanto is wide and stout and, other than for 1 tiny pit on the edge of the mune above the habaki on the omote, flawless.

The koshirae, mounted with a wood tsunagi, is complete and in excellent condition: black lacquered saya with a silver koi-guchi and horn kojiri & kurigata with sageo. The tsuba is signed and of iron with hot stamps. The fuchi is shakudo with carved fretwork and fine silver, I think, inlay of x’s; the kashira is horn. The menuki are round, shakudo nanako with gold mon. Same’ and tsuka-ito are perfectly intact.

I believe this tanto dates from Shinshinto: a nice set with lots to appreciate and it won’t break the bank. 1 pound, 11 ounces. $1,450.