DoTanuki yokai

Nice find, i like the shibo nuri that apears to be done with rice. I have done it and the unregular shape and size of rice gives an interesting pattern. This was just an experiment i made some years ago on a cheap pen that showed me that rice is a little big for a pen and has only very little contact on the surface. (my pen got a yellow layer under the red with some charcoal dust in it if someones wondering) It looks much better on your saya

I dont know how i found this but it is very interesting some are a little nihonto related and i am very impressed by the medicine ones, just want to share this. https://www.jonathanahill.com/images/upload/jahill-cat-221-Japanese-chinese-books-scrolls-mss.pdf

My guess would be late Muromachi Bizen Sukesada.

Looks like the Museum had a more positive Interpretation. Sad for the Tanto but its awesome that you remembered it and thanks for the efforts and Jon Snow moment. (is this related to game of thrones? I have not seen all seasons and don’t get it ? )

I don’t know the purpose but I’m a fan of Negoro-nuri and like this, would say this is a cupholder.

Ahh I see, have you also translate the full date, I don’t recognize the last 3 kanji Would the stamp on the Mune mean this is not a Traditional blade ?

The signature looks like „ChoShu Ju KaneMichi“ but I’m not sure about the Michi. Is there a stamp above the date where the habaki sits? Date is Showa 17 (1942)

Thanks for your input, what do you think about this piece ? https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/26571 I would love to see better pictures of it but alone the condition of the Mei is great. (Too good? )

I think it is a sunnobi Tanto and they wrote Tanto, but after it is bigger then 30cm Nagasa it is a Wakizashi. This is just what I thought.

Katana Mei on Wakizashi is correct for Hizento but they even sign Naginata Tachi-mei.

Im also not sure how this blade start life but from the feel I can imagine that the shape was altered because of the weight. Compared to other swords of this size and with a short nakago the blade feels still heavy. I prefer to say what it is now unokubi zukuri, because I think there won’t be a reliable answer how it started. the blade seems to be in this size for long time, for me it looks like it was shortened around mid Muromachi but this is just speculation from what I see in the Nakago. For the Boshi I have read somewhere that sometimes they have a very long kaeri that turn into muneyaki sometimes. EDIT: Ohh Maybe you talk about the overall size of the Kissaki, i think it is the longest i have seen with this attribution but i can imagine that this could be from some form of reshaping from naginata or nagamaki and the small kaeri is only a repurposed bigger Hamon element. Some years ago the founder Uda kunimitsu was just on papers but now there a 2 signed works existing. I think there is more research necessary too understand Uda school better. (Alternatively i dont have the right books) Also how reliable are sources that claim that some Uda smiths learned from Norishige, I can understand how someone can come to such conclusion but the similarities are not that much and also different.

Thanks for participating and watching everyone. Im not sure if someone was right or wrong because it is only an attribution , but Jussi was of the same opinion as the NBTHK „Ko Uda“ so he wins I think. Good work i don’t know if I would be able to guess it right but I don’t want to say the NBTHK is wrong here Maybe this could have been useful for this (Usagiya website) And the NBTHK paper

Ohh i remember this blade from ebay, congratulations to a nice fuji hamon. I was also confused by the corrected paper but have not investigated. I have saved a picture from the auction, i can sent it to you, it got a translation of the date (february 1862) and mei on it.

I think sending this to someone that does bohi on Nihonto would exceed the worth of this blade. (EDIT: Matt was faster) You should better try to find a solution with Huawei Swords.

I don’t think that horn parts are missing because I can’t believe they would just glue the horn on a flat wood surface. For me it just looks like the shirasaya is not for this sword.

Sorry I’m late first the pictures with flash didn’t worked as good as I have wanted and then my Computer stopped working. Here is the best I got with my phone but i will show the attribution soon.

I think the dark lines are a result of the hardening in combination with the Masame Hada. Utsuri would not be this prominent. You are right on the Sunagashi but I can’t help with your other questions.

Found one more. EDIT: I will try the flash next

I hope this is good enough. I have to add that the tip geometry is not 100% perfect, the last few millimeters change angle a little.

This is the best I can do at the moment, i have tried to have the whole kissaki on my pictures but it’s hard to get the light right for it. I will try a better close up of the Boshi later.

Thanks for participating so far, here is the Nakago for the undecided. If someone want to change his opinion it’s alright but I don’t want to influence anyone.

I think this video will give you a good idea of the process. It is not destructive and should not make your family worry if done right.

For me it looks like something Muramasa related. The nakago looks like Someone cleaned it ? Edit: Here is a Tanto that seki smith Kanenaga and Muramasa made. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/15232-muramasa/

I needed some photo sessions to capture enought useable pictures and i hope i got some good ones. Thanks.

Hi Just for our entertainment and inspired by others, i will also try to make a Kantei thread. The blade is Unokubi-zukuri and the Shinogi is high. Nagasa: 55,2cm Kasane: 0,58cm Sori: 1.05cm Moto-Haba: 2,9cm Saki-Haba: 2,6cm Weight: 520g I Hope everything else can be seen in the pictures. The Nakago is hidden but i can later add it when it is too hard, its only by pictures after all. I hope for many participants and i will let it run for a week or some days more. Please forgive the dust on my camera lens. Have fun and Happy easter.