Japanese Sword Online Museum

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Tanto

Tanto : First generation Muramasa

2017/01/02

Tanto in Shirasaya (NBTHK Hozon paper)

Signature : First generation Muramasa.

Suekoto : Saijyo saki highest ranking : Ise province.
The blade was polished.
Habaki : Gold foiled single habaki.
Blade length : 24.4 cm or 9.60 inches.
Sori : No Sori
Mekugi : 1
Width at the hamachi : 2.53 cm or 0.99 inches.
Kasane : 0.52 cm or 0.21 inches.
Era : Late Muromachi period.
Shape : The blade is unusual Moroba zukuri Tanto.
Jitetsu : Itame had well grained with jinie attach.
Hamon : Konie deck kogunome midair and matching both sides if the Hamon.

Special feature : Muramawa was quite well known sword maker in Ise province.
He was a son of the Sakagami Sahei Kanemura who was working at Mino Senjyuin school.
Muramasa was called Yoto Muramasa (Supernatural sword) and detested from Tokugawa family.
So Daomyo and Hatamoto and other high ranking samurai were not keeping Muramasa.
So I saw many Muramasa which was removed one signature Mura and changed the signature.
The Muramasa's hamon are matching both sides of the blade and very nice Jigane and Hadatachi jigane we can find.
I think Muramasa continued until 3rd generations.
This blade belongs to first generation and probably he imitated Moroba tsukuri from Bizen school.
It is very unusual Moroba zukuri Tanto.
The upper part of the weak Hamon looks fixed slightly.

NBTHK Hozon paper
Aoi Art estimatin paper : whole Oshigata.

Price (credit card) : JPY 2,300,000-.


-Tanto