Tanto With Obscured Mei

[vfox]

Hi all,

 

Came across this tanto with a punched out Mei. The remaining character reads "sada".

 

The blade measures 22cm. It has a mix of mokume and masame hada.

 

Any guesses as to what it could have been?

 

 

 

Thanks,

Jay

[vfox]

A few more pictures.

 

[TheGermanBastard]

Hello Jay, it is a Koto piece but you have probably figured that yourself as well as that it has come from the eBay seller daimyou. Since it has a cheap acid enhanched polish and no papers it tells me that the vendor did not put much value to it. So it is probably good for what you paid. You may want to check carefully if the Hamon is still consistent all the way. Looking at the images I am positive since I can not see having it lost much of the cutting edge (if any at all) but take a carefull. look. Could be that the 2nd Kanji has been removed ... that is my impression ... so likely wanted to be something Sadamune / Hosho ... the tang is in poor condition.

[SAS]

Kunisada?

[Ray Singer]

Sue - Mino (late Muromachi Mino).

[Ray Singer]

There were several smiths who signed 兼貞 during that time period.

[TheGermanBastard]

Rays Kanet is quite good I think.

 

Kane is a prety safe bet for a MIno blade ... However I am not sure if the first Kanji has been obscured?

[vfox]

I am reasonably sure its the first character that has been obscured, as the space following the remaining character is smooth.

 

It was probably a common functional blade rather than an art blade given the mei was punched... So a common mei like Kanesada does seem likely.

 

Thanks everyone for the input!