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Hamon : Nioi-deki suguha with ko-nie mixed in. The nioi-guchi is bright and well-controlled. There is kuchigai-ba and nijuba.
Boshi : Ko-maru and then rounded with short return. The nioi-guchi is clear and even.
Kitae : Ko-itame with masame mixed in.
About this sword :
This is an exciting gendai tanto by Horii Toshihide. He is considered one of the most outstanding Gendai smiths in the history of Nihonto. This tanto is a fine example of his mature work.
Toshihide was born in Shimosaka in 1886. In 1905 he became a pupil of Horii Taneaki (a student of Takai Naotane). The early works of Toshihide were signed Hideaki. Hideaki was the name that was given to him by the Nihon Hozon Kai in 1913. He changed his name to Toshihide in 1933 out of respect for the birth of emperor Akihito. He is well known for having forged swords from the steel of a Russo-Japanese War damaged gun from the Battleship Mikasa. He forged swords at Japan Steel Works in Muroran, Hokkaido. The Horii smiths still work there to this day. Toshihide passed away in 1943.
The importance of Toshihide as a top Gendaito smith cannot be understated. Ranked at 2.8 million yen in the Toko Taikan and listed in Fujishiro's Shinto-hen. Ranked Saijo Saku at Kurihara Hikosaburo's Tosho Banzuke, Ranked Saijo Saku at the 6th Shinsaku Nihonto Denrankai, received the Special Honor Seat at the Nihon Token Tanrenjo (NTT) and ranked Genro at the Nihon Token Shinbunshi.
This blade is in nice old polish. There are no kizu. This tanto is accompanied by a silver habaki and a shira-saya. A rare gendai tanto by one of the greatest war-time smiths.
$3950
