S108. Osoraku zukuri tanto signed Muramasa. In shira-saya, with koshirae. Nagasa: 11″ (28 cm). Sori: 1/4″ (.6 cm). Moto haba: 1″ (2.4 cm). Moto kasane: 1/4″ (.6 cm). This tanto is in polish but the polish wasn’t very high quality. I can easily see a notare hamon in nie below the yokote but it is difficult to see much above. I can see that there is a hamon but I can’t tell you much about it. This tanto need a real polish.

The tanto is signed Muramasa. It was submitted to the shinsa in 1983 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, headed by Fukunaga Suiken, Shibata Mitsuo, and John Yumoto, and judged to be good quaity but gimei (fake signature). They have attributed this tanto to Ujifusa of Mino, working in Tensho (1573). There is a tight and long tate ware’ above the hamon in the mono uchi, and a couple other very small openings, not in the yakiba. The habaki is brass.

The koshirae is held together with an amateur made tsunagi (works well). The saya, with horn ko jiri, kaerizuno, kurikata, and koi guchi, is lacquered red and in great condition. The tsuba is thin plate iron with gold inlay of horses. The fuchi/kashira are gilt brass of horses again. The menuki are brass of pine needles. The tsuka ito is nicely done and in good condition (a couple of the small strands are broken). Overall length of the koshirae is 18 5/8″ (47.2 cm). Both the koshirae and the blade in shira-saya are in cloth bags; there is a stain on one of the bags.

That’s what I can think to tell you; ask questions if I’ve left anything out. 1 pound, 8 ounces. $1,100.