O Tanto with Hitatsura hamon

[P.08]

As you can see it is difficult to get a good photo of the hamon. Nice blade aside from a opening on one side. I'd have to go measure it, but I recall it is about a 12-13" blade. I have no clue what is written on the saya?

 

[KenHash]

As you can see it is difficult to get a good photo of the hamon. Nice blade aside from a opening on one side. I'd have to go measure it, but I recall it is about a 12-13" blade. I have no clue what is written on the saya?

P P.08
The Saya says;
無銘　Mumei - Unsigned
長谷部國重　Hasebe Kunishige
貞治年代　Jouji (or Teiji) nen dai - Jouji Period (circa 1368)

 

[MrSauce]

As you can see it is difficult to get a good photo of the hamon. Nice blade aside from a opening on one side. I'd have to go measure it, but I recall it is about a 12-13" blade. I have no clue what is written on the saya?

Awesome peice, really nice hamon. Hopefully the opening isnt too deep as to not be removed with a good polish. If you are interested in selling I would love to talk about a buy or trade! ❤

 

[P.08]

P P.08
The Saya says;
無銘　Mumei - Unsigned
長谷部國重　Hasebe Kunishige
貞治年代　Jouji (or Teiji) nen dai - Jouji Period (circa 1368)

WOW, thanks for the reading. I will get a pic of the side with the opening. I think it is too big to polish out? A plug maybe, but probably not worth the cost. I knew it was old, but not that old!

 

[MrSauce]

WOW, thanks for the reading. I will get a pic of the side with the opening. I think it is too big to polish out? A plug maybe, but probably not worth the cost. I knew it was old, but not that old!

Just a bit more context for you. If this work is a genuine kunishige, you have something very special. Kunishige is considered a pupil of masamune, the most legendary smith in Japanese history. Making this work highly desirable even with a kizu (flaw opening). May I ask where you obtained the blade?

 

[P.08]

Where did I get this blade? It has been a long time ago, but I think I bought it on eBay? Back in the early 2000's they were on there and many went cheap! Sold by people who didn't know what they were. Anyway, the flaws are not as bad as I remembered, but the blade could not take another polish I think as it is already kinda thin. Will measure when I get my calipers on it. Here are two pics I took with my new Samsung S24 Max. I am quite impressed for a phone! I used the panorama feature.

 

[MrSauce]

Where did I get this blade? It has been a long time ago, but I think I bought it on eBay? Back in the early 2000's they were on there and many went cheap! Sold by people who didn't know what they were. Anyway, the flaws are not as bad as I remembered, but the blade could not take another polish I think as it is already kinda thin. Will measure when I get my calipers on it. Here are two pics I took with my new Samsung S24 Max. I am quite impressed for a phone! I used the panorama feature.

Wow, beautiful blade! Nice to see a fellow samsung user aswell . I wish I had a bank account back then so I could've gotten my hands on some wondeful finds. If you are ever interested in selling/trading it please let me know.

 

[The Zieg]

This blade dates to the 14th century?

 

[P.08]

Wow, beautiful blade! Nice to see a fellow samsung user aswell . I wish I had a bank account back then so I could've gotten my hands on some wondeful finds. If you are ever interested in selling/trading it please let me know.

Will keep you in mind, I just measured the blade and it has a 12" cutting surface and 6mm at the thickest part.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I'm not near the expert others here are but nothing on that blade says 14th century to me.

I have seen dozens of these from Ebay sales in the past where the seller says things to make you think they have no idea if it is worth anything, "Found in Dad's garage", "Bought at a flea market", "Found in an abandoned house", etc.

They are often "aged" to look old, but the tang usually belies that. Some have a hamon that is only etched on.

 

[NihontoEd]

Regardless of what the sayagaki says, I would not get my hopes up thinking this tanto was made by Hasabe Kunishige or that it dated to the Nambokucho era . Much more likely that an inaccurate saygaki was written by someone, perhaps believing the attribution, perhaps intentionally to increase perceived value.

I see a number of inaccuracies which do not match Kunishige's work.
Their tanto were slight saki-zori, this one is slight uchi-zori.
There were schools which produced Unokubi-zukuri tanto during the Koto period yet, Hasabe works were not known for forging unokubi-zukuri as this one is on the ura side.
Kunishige forged tight itame with masame along the mune with lots of chikei and ji-nie. I see no hada at all.
Due to the masame, his hitatsura was more vertical than horizontal as in this example (see photo).
There ia a visible ha-hada in shoshin works (see photo).
The nakago was funagata (see photo).

My guess is that this tanto is shinshinto attempting to pass as Hasabe Den.
In shinshinto period the hada had become muji ie; so refined its barely visible to the eye.
Unokubi-zukuri had regained popularity during this time.

Understand this is only my opinion, others may disagree.

For a better, more accepted opinion, there will be a NTHK shinsa this June in Florida.
Being mumei, it will paper to someone if the polish is sufficient to judge.