Q592.  Mumei o-tanto with a paper from Mr. Shibata giving it to Shinano Daijo Tadakuni (Kodai, later generation).

Nagasa:  12 5/8″  32.1 cm.

Sori:  .7 cm.

Moto haba:  2.7 cm.

Moto kasane:  .7 cm.

Saki haba:  1.8 cm.

Saki kasane:  .5 cm.

Nakago nagasa:  4 3/8″  11 cm.

Overall in koshirae:  20 1/8″  51 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, iore mune, chu kissaki, koshi zori. The hada is itame with mokume in bright ji-nei (chikei). The hamon is suguba with subtle hataraki ending in a sugu boshi, slightly swept, with ko-maru and long medium kaeri, all covered in ko-nie. Horimono on the omote is gomabashi hi above the nakago that become a single koshi bi above that. On the ura is carved a ken with sankotsuka. There is one pinprick tiny pit on the shinogi at the yokote and 2 instances of old corrosion on the surface that weren’t removed with the last polish; otherwise this is flawless. It is mounted with a copper habaki.

The saya is lacquered same’ with horn at the kojiri, kurikata, and koiguchi; none of the same’ is missing.  The tsuba is shakudo nanako with gold and silver flowers. The fuchi is shakudo nanako with gold and shakudo flowers; the kashira is horn. The menuki are gold and shakudo: perhaps a roofed boat on the omote and not sure what it is on the ura. The tsuka-ito is in excellent condition, as is pretty much all of the koshirae.

There were more than a few smiths working from early Shinto onward who signed with Shinano Daijo Tadakuni; other than later generation none is specified by the paper. Looking for a well made, nicely mounted, papered tanto that won’t break the bank? This may be it. 1 pound, 7 ounces. $1,275.