HIROMITSU TANTO

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

A friend was just by with 2 blades to look at. I told him I'd post them here to get opinions.

This is a tanto signed "Sagami no Kuni Ju Nin Hiromitsu" and dated "Joji Ni Nen" (1363).

He would like opinions on whether the mei is right for Hiromitsu. Too much sunlight streaming in to take decent pictures of the work but I'll post what I could get.

I know what I think but I want to hear from others first.

Thanks, Grey

[cabowen]

Shape seems wrong and the mei looks awfully fresh....

[Ted Tenold]

Grey,

 

My impressions are;

 

Shape is not right for inscribed era/maker.

 

Mei is not inscribed quite as refined as it should be. The kanji are too big and way too stiff. As an example the "nin" kanji is quite obvious. Hiromitsu's have a look of softly bent at the knee of the right leg. The inscription is also too thin where a sharper edged tagane was used. It's also inscribed heavy to the mune side of the nakago. Hiromitsu inscribed in the center.

 

The jiri is wrong, as looks the workmanship. The jiri looks like Shimada which because of their proclivity to Soshu copies would make sense for someone to gimei it to Hiromitsu or another Soshu maker of note.

 

My guess from the images is sue-koto Shimada work. Just my opinion, worth what I charged.

[Brian]

When I first looked at it, my first thought about the shape and sugata was "someone tried to hard"

It just doesn't come across naturally. Can't comment on the workmanship, but obviously with this name there are lots of very good gimei, and this one doesn't even seem to have been done all that well.

 

Brian

[Jamie]

I agree the Mei doesn't look right for this smith

I assume that's the conclusion you came to as well

Is it mitsu mune? ( for my own curiosity)

[Grey Doffin]

Iori mune, I believe.

Grey