A tanto and a lacquer box | Signed Homei Sukemitsu zo (made by Homei Sukemitsu) | Dated Meiji sannen nigatsu hi (a day in the 2nd month 1870)

The Property of a Gentleman

A tanto and a lacquer box

Signed Homei Sukemitsu zo (made by Homei Sukemitsu)

Dated Meiji sannen nigatsu hi (a day in the 2^nd month 1870)

Sugata [configuration]: hira-zukuri, iori-mune, mu-zori

Kitae [forging pattern]: masame hada

Hamon [tempering pattern]: notare hamon in nie-deki

Boshi [tip]: notare-komi with steep kaeri

Nakago [tang]: ubu, kurijiri, one mekugi ana, kiri yasurime, the omote signed Homei Sukemitsu zo (made by Homei Sukemitsu), the ura dated Meiji sannen nigatsu hi (a day in the 2nd month 1870)

Habaki [collar]: single clad, copper-gilt

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: the plain black lacquer saya with shakudo fittings all inlaid in gold with pauwlonia before karakusa scrolls, the kozuka with a single paulownia and foliate scrolls, the rectangular box decorated in gold hiramaki-e on a polished black ground, with kashiwa kamon [oak leaf crests], nashiji interiors, fundame rims, 41.2 cm., 16¼ long

Accessories: a black lacquer rectangular box and cover decorated in gold hiramaki-e with mon

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 24 cm., 9½ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.9 cm., ¾ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.5 cm., 1 in. 

The tanto accompanied by a certificate of registration as Hozon Token [Sword Worthy of Preservation], no. 3015170 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 29 (2017).

Sukemitsu was born in 1820 with the name Yokoyama Kajuro, and died in 1873. After training in Edo, he was employed as a smith by the Mito fiefdom.