Koto Sunobe Soshu tanto (ko-Wakizashi)

Hira-zukuri Koto period blade with koshirae, shirasaya, and fresh polish.

A very nice sunobe tanto made in the koto period by a Soshu smith. The blade has a mitsu-mune, ken carved in one side and goma hashi carved in the other side, rather typical of older Soshu work. There was a signature on the nakago which has been removed.

This blade was purchased at a local auction house, it was in the possession of a family with diplomatic ties and was related to me that it was a gift in the early 1900's to a diplomat here in Ottawa.

The blade itself is in fresh polish, the jigane is very crisp and beautiful with a thin nie deki temperline that is intact.

A new top quality shirasaya has been made for the blade which utilizes the original 2 piece shakudo foil and silver habaki. This habaki is very unique and well made, definately made for a special piece. The stirling silver signed fuchi/kashira and kurikata all match with a plant/reed theme. The end pice on the saya is missing unfortunately.

The Kogatana is in fresh polish and is signed Kanemitsu, the kozuka is in near perfect condition with several types of metal inlay. My first impressions of the kozuka is that it is a mouse/cheese motif, but upon closer inspection I see rats with fish bones, and if you look closely there is a rat tail coming from under what looks to be the cheese - perhaps it is a rat trap? I had taken a couple of pictures of the saya, they look to be different, but they are the same, I simply polished the saya to it's original look of deep green with gold flecks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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