A38534(T8582)
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Black Roiro lacquered Drizzly Rainfall Gold String of Inlay Maple ShadowGold Lacquer work scabbard Tanto Koshirae with)Tanto unsigned attributed to a work of Ashu SUKEYOSHI

Sugata(configuration) : Dignified tanto of Kan'muri Otoshi-zukuri with Mitsu-mune back ridge. Kasane on base is rather on thicker side and Mihaba is in average with the indication of a bit on inward curvature leading to the less swelling Fukura upper area. Entire shape holds very harmonious ratio of Mihaba to Nagasa, Kasane and Fukura. (click HERE for higher resolution image)
Kitae(forging pattern) : Kitae is fine Ko-Itame in general with the indication of streaming Masame ware. The entire steel gives off sparkling martensite particles glitter that comes from fine soaking steel where darkish Chikei streams over fine steel.
Hamon(tempering pattern) : Hamon is uniform bright Ko-Nie-deki with softly sparkling martensite particles of glitter to form Medium Suguha where shows slight indication of undulating Notare. Habuchi of Boundary lilne works with slight lines of Sunagashi streaming in accordance with Masame ware.
Boshi (tip): Boshi forms Suguha, small circle where Hakikake streams appears then turns back deeply.
Nakago(tang) : The tang is UBU originally unsigned. One Mekugi-ana retaining hole. Horizontal (KIRI) filemarks and the back ridge of Nakago is flat with KIRI filemark also. Ha-agari-Kurijiri of uneven U-shaped heel. The entire Nakago preserves reasonable taste of patina in the past a century-half ago.

During Edo era in universal peace, Tanto had been developed as a good-luck charm for safe childbirth or to ward off calamities to pray for posterity thrives that goes well. Those leading artisans of metalsmith, lacquer-work, inlaying-smith had sublimated desire and passion in a stylish Koshirae-work of art.
This superb tanto with superfine Koshirae mount cut the most brilliant figure among similar works. Pure black Japanese lacquered scabbard works with gold string of inlay to draw drizzly rainfall and shadow gold lacquer work of Maple leaves of hazy view in distance under rain in late fall.
In view of hilt, it is made of rare precious non-Japanese Bombay backwoods "Tagayasan" that emits classical tanned brown. Shakudo "Tsutsukane" barrel of Dragon design with associated pure gold Mekugi peg of Houju precious orb design.
Gourd-shaped Kurikata, Ura-kawara and Kaeri-tsuno, those are made of Shakudo ground. Tsuba, Kozuka/Kogai set of Futatokoromono and Fuchi/Kashira, Kojiri - those are in intertwined foliage KARAKUSA design made of Shakudo as well. All those identical metal works are precisely inlaid with pure gold, silver and copper.
Black Roiro lacquered Drizzly Rainfall Gold String of Inlay Maple Shadow Gold Lacquer work scabbard Tanto Koshirae
(click HERE for entire Koshirae, HERE for front, HERE for other side)

The attached Tanto has been polished and was appraised as a work of SUKEYOSHI 祐芳 to be made looking up to one of Yamato-traditions, especially NIŌ-work in Nanbokucho period. SUKEYOSHI 祐芳 in Awa domain (now Tokushima pref.) was active closing years of Edo. His real name was Yoshikawa Rokuro 吉川六郎 who belonged to Yokoyama SUKENAGA school 横山祐永 in Bizen domain (now Okayama pref.).
(click HERE for entire Tanto)
Gold foiled single layer Habaki in original, Original gold foiled pair of Seppa collars, preserved in Shirasaya plain wood mount.
Recent polish/Condition scale: mint (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)
reference data : HONMA Junji, ISHI Masakuni, Nihonto meikan, Yuzankaku, 1975