An Exceptionally Beautiful, 500 Year Old Ancient Samurai Tanto, With a Rare Naganata Blade Shape.

It is from a museum grade small collection of remarkable and exceptional samurai tanto. Acquired by a discerning collector over many years, seeking an example of all the varying forms and styles of tanto and their blades, from the zenith of the samurai period of the Koto era, and beyond.

Each one is a veritable work of art demonstrating the skill of craftsmen at the apex of their careers, as the very finest swordsmiths and koshirae fitting makers, that has been combined to create wonders of rare beauty. Not only to represent the acme of samurai art, but also functional and useable swords. In the culture of samurai, even small tanto are classified as swords, for the samurai of the highest rank and status, including daimyo and lords, from the Koto to Edo period.

This is a stunning beauty with a powerful blade shaped like a naganata and in superb condition for age. All its original untouched Edo period fittings, featuring dragon in several forms. The fuchi is an iron Higo style fuchi with deep and crisp takabori dragon embellished with pure gold. The menuki are pure gold figures over black lacquered samegawa, and under superb, original Edo tsukaito in two colours of black with green bordering. The saya is original Edo urushi fine ishime style lacquer, with slight natural edge aging, with a kozuka pocket containing a takebori twin dragon, over a nanako ground decorated, kozuka.

The iron tsuba is decorated with a dragon around its rim. The blade is wonderful, in full polish showing superb grain and hamon, and a breathtaking wide curvature, based on a naganata blade-form.

This is a spectacular ancient samurai tanto that would complement any fine collection of samurai swords, or, as a single, very fine example of the pure art form of samurai art swords. Meant for functioning use, but created with a no expense spared criteria, based on an eye for quality, beauty and detail.

Code: 24539