A Tanto with handachi-style koshirae | Signed Kanekiyo | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

The Property of an English Collector

A Tanto with handachi-style koshirae

Signed Kanekiyo 

Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17^th century 

Sugata [configuration]: Hira-zukuri, iori-mune, with bohi

Kitae [forging pattern]: Ko-mokume

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Choji gunome midare in ko-nie, almost nioi, with some sunagashi 

Boshi [tip]: Ko-maru with kaeri

Nakago [tang]: Ubu, kuri-jiri, higaki yasuri, with two mekugi-ana, signed Kanekiyo

Habaki [collar]: Silver

Koshirae [mount]: The tanto koshirae decorated with sparse nashiji, with a long kojiri, the silver fittings inlaid in gold and silver, carved in high and low relief with bamboo and chrysanthemums, the menuki in the form of dragonflies, the associated kozuka with tree peony, signed Yoshichika, the similarly decorated kogai is mumei

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 30.2 cm., 11⅞ in.