Attractive Japanese Tanto with Tokugawa Mon Saya and Rat Menukis
ca.1600
7.5" nagasa. Hira-zukuri blade with a short single hole nakago that is unsigned. Possibly late Muromachi. Blade has lots of activity and features a jizo boshi, ihori mune, suguha hamon, and itame hada. Koshirae includes a tsuka wrapped with blue ito, white same, matching shakudo rat menukis, and matching iron fuchi-kashira-kojiri with gold foil floral accents. Tsuba, habaki, and seppa appear to be copper alloy. Saya is red and black speckled lacquer, with kurikata, three brass or gold hollyhock Tokugawa style mons (two on one side, one on side of kozuka slot). Item does not include kozuka. According to paperwork included with item, it was most likely made sometime around 1600.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.