N90957(T5526)
+Shipping

Tanto signed KANEMASU with)Black stone lacquered surface scabbard Tanto Koshirae

Koto end Muroamchi period (Daiei-Tenbun era / 1521-54) Mino
Length of cutting edge 22.4cm Width of base 26.3mm Thickness of base 6.5mm

NBTHK(Tokubetsu Hozon) certificate

with)Black stone lacquered surface scabbard Tanto Koshirae

Blade construction: Double edged Moroha-zukuri Tanto, Raised Iori-mune, Kasane thickness is a bit on thicker side. Width on base is wide, almost no curve where upper Fukura area is less swelling.(click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade)
Forging(Hada): Forging is conspicuous Masame-hada.The surface is covered with sparkling Ji-nie glitter.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon forms Suguha with an indication of Hotsure and Niju-ha outline in one side and the other side shows Notare outline.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Temper of tip forms brushing up indication of Hakikake.
Tang(Nakago): Nakago is in an UBU original. Kiri horizontal file marks. One Mekugi-ana punch. Single-bevelled (Kurijiri) heel shape.The signature in front is two character that reads KANEMASU 兼枡.

Mino province was one of the Five Major Native Sword places of Yamato, Yamashiro, Bizen, Soushu and Mino.
Mino tradition had undergone a great change through the medieval battle ages that gave practical martial usage and functional beauty.
Sword makers in Mino formed self-governing groups "Kajiza" 鍛冶座 under guardian divine protection of Kasuga-jinja shrine and got orders from the major military commanders or powerful clans to enjoy joint buying of fine steel or quality control to meet with their requirement.
On the latter half of Muromachi period, most of Mino sword makers had started gathering to Seki town and formed Seven Seki-groups that were Zenjo 善定派（兼吉）,Muroya 室屋派（兼在）,Ryoken 良賢派（兼行）, Nara 奈良派（兼常）,Tokunaga 得永派（兼弘）,San'ami 三阿弥派（兼則）,Tokuin 得印派（兼安）then became to see the golden age both of Mino and Bizen tradition in the matchless two greatest authorities.

According to a reference Mino-to Taikan, the subject maker KANEMASU 兼枡 in different charactar 兼升 belonged to Nara 奈良派 group in Seki during Daiei-Tenbun era (1521-54).
The subject cool Tanto was equipped as the supplementary usage for the long Katana/Tachi sword against the armored worrier, which was suitably designed for stabbing into the gap of armor suit or cut a neck through a opening of helmet. Workmanship clearly states typical Masame grain of this Tanto proves that KANEMASU belonged to Nara lineage in Yamato tradition during early 16th C., almost 500 years passage.

Accompanied by Black Ishime-ji lacquered Tanto Mounting（Mounting, Full View—Obverse・Mounting, Full View—Reverse・Detailed Views of the Fittings）
  • Fuchi and Kashira: Floral and Maple Design, Shakudō ground, Takabori relief carving and Iroe, unsigned.
  • Menuki: Fan Design
  • Tsuba: Wave Design, Yamagane copper ground, Sukidori carving, unsigned.
  • Kozuka: Heron among Bamboo and leaves, Yamagane ground, Takabori relief carving and Iroe, unsigned.
  • Saya: Black Ishime-ji lacquer, with a Yamagane kojiri.
Condition scale: excellent - very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
Silgle layer gold plated copper Habaki, preserved in Shirasaya plain wood mounting

reference data :
Honma Kunzan/Ishii Masakuni, Nihonto Meikan, Yuzankaku, 1975
Sugiura Yoshiyuki/Suzuki Takuo, Muromachi-ki Mino-to no Kenkyu, Ribun shuppan, 2006
Tokuno Kazuo, Mino-to Taikan, Otsuka kougeisha, 1975