A898(T5006)
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Tanto signed NOBUTSUGU (Shiga-Seki school) with) Gold-Kindei lacquered paint scabbard Metezashi-style Aikuchi Koshirae

Koto latter hald of Muromachi period (Eisho era/circa 1504-) Owari
Length of cutting edge 24.2cm Inward Curvature Width of base 25.5mm Thickness of base5.5mm

NBTHK(TokubetsuHozon) certificate
reported in Nihonto Zuikan Koto-hen



Blade construction: Hira-zukuri, Iori-mune with a slight inward curve, moderate in Mihaba with well-promortion degree of tapering from base toward less swelling tip of Kissaki which is designed stubbing purpose. These are the major trends in battle ages during Muromachi period. (click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade).

Forging(Hada): Blueish steel gives off conspicuous streaming Itame-hada and outstanding large burl Mokume ware appear here and there. Crystallized granule of Ji-nie appears on surface that emits sparkling reflection of Ji-Nie. Darkish thick lines of Nie so called "CHIKEI" activity appears on Hira-ji.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is Gunome and undulating Notare a bit on tigher side in Nioi-kuchi boundaring line from base to middle area. Upper the blade, stronger and deeper the Nie where sparkling Nie accumurated deeply on boundary line. Upper the Monouchi area there perceives clear activities of thick Nie so called Kin-suji or Sunagashi lines run along hardening boundary area.There are isolated Tobiyaki and Muneyaki quenching activities to form Hitatsura quenching.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Temper of boshi forms undulating irregular indication and medium circle turns back deeply that connects to Muneyaki.
Tang(Nakago): The tang is UBU original with Higaki (checked) filemarks. Un-even U-shaped "Ha-agari Kurijiri" heel shape. Two mekugi-ana peg holes.The back ridge of nakago is well contoured with inverted-V (Gtaku-taka-no-ha) filemarks.
The clear engraving signature NOBUTSUGU 延次 appears on upper the Mekugi-ana, back ridge side of Mune.

Here is a splendidly heroic stubbing tanto of NOBUTSUGU 延次 in Owari from late 15th C. Muromachi period. Lineage of KUNITSUGU 国次 (1455-), KANENOBU 兼延 (1492-) and NOBUTSUGU 延次 (1504-) is called Shigaseki 志賀関 who established sword makers in Owari domain (now city of Nagoya).
Major character of Shigaseki school is that the Nakago tapers toward the U-shape heel,Checked
According to an ancient record, KANENOBE 兼延 intially lived in Oyama town in Mino domain then had moved to Shiga-town, Owari during Meiou era (1492-).

Generically called Naoe-shizu school such as Kanetomo 兼友、Kanetoshi 兼俊、Kanenobe 兼延, established a foothold in Naoe town and flourished to meet with sharp rise in demand for the Nanbokucho period while the two courts fought for fifty years.
In the prime of Nanbokucho period, Naoe-shizu makers accomplished their own workmanship in the style of Soushu so that Soushu and Yamato techniques were integrated into Mino technique.

Just after the Muromachi era had started, there was little demand for making swords under brief peace and suffered repeated floods, sword makers who belonged to Naoe-Shizu school were scattered in other areas such as Akasaka, Seki or Oyama in Mino domain.

The subject majestic Tanto is full of Samurai majesty spirit during the Warning States of period that almost remains it's original magnificent shape. Hardening crystallized Nie granules sparkle vividly bright in the light with great spirit and steel gives off whitish mist reflection of Ji-Niei that hangs over the Hiraji - full of classical grace.It is judged Tokubetsu Hozon class as one of the representative NOBUTSUGU 延次 of Shiga-Seki school from late 15th C.

The subject work is full of Samurai majesty spirit during the Warning States of period when major powerful clans began rise to power.
A bit on inward curve so called "Bamboo-Shoot shape" is designed for stabbing purpose, Ō-Itame with Mokume forging ware of functional mixture with hard and soft steel is regarded for durable construction, dimmed "Hitatsura" tempering is carefully quenched for the most supreme sharp performance and "Muneyaki" is supposed for defending against hard hitting.
This prominent Tanto is reported in Nihonto-Zuikan Koto-hen as one of the most representative daggers of NOBUTSUGU 延次 in Shiga-Seki school.

with) Gold-Kindei lacquered paint scabbard Metezashi-style Aikuchi Koshirae (click HERE in front, HERE for the other side)
The right-handed AIKUCHI fitting is equipped with Fuchi/Kashira, Koikuchi mouth, Kaeri-tsuno and chestnut Kurikata - all those made of buffalo horn without any metal ornaments and has no Menki ornament on the hilt. The hilt is black lacquered leather warp over a white rayskin. One of the significant features of this single right-handed (Metezashi) dagger mounting is that the Kaeri-tsuno is located on the inner side of waist body at the right hand-side, scabbard is shaved off to fit tightly around the waist around a narrow sash, when the dagger is unsheathed and allowing for an instant draw with a single-handed grip from the Kurikata chestnut which is positioned just a finger's width away from the sheath opening. Some say that the origin of this right-handed dagger mouting "Metezashi" origined from the Ninja of the Yagyu clan, who used it as a concealed weapon.
Gold foiled single layer habaki collar, preserved in a Shira-saya plain wood mounting
Good polish/Condition scale: excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)
reference data :
Kataoka Ginsaku, Nihonto Zuikan Koto-hen, 1982
Honma Kunzan/Ishii Masakuni, Nihontomeikan, Yuzanaku, 1975
Honma Kunzan/Sato Kan'ichi, Nihonto-Taikan/Koto 3, Otsuka-Kogeisha, 1969
Suzuki Taskuo/Sugiura Yoshiyuki, Muromachi-ki Mino-Toko-no kenkyu, Ribun-shuppan, 2006