Tanto: Noshu Seki Ju Kanesaki
Jidai: Koto Muromachi
Seki
School
Though it may seem almost impossible to guess such a maker, I’m prone to believe that many people will not guess Sue-Seki due to the fact that this sword has a Mitsumune and the hamon is done in a Suguha style. Many Seki swordsmiths, Such as Kanesaki as well as the famous Kanesada (No-sada) are famous for their copies of the Kamakura Rai School. In fact many of these tanto were “made” Mumei (unsigned) and passsed on as gifts to other people as Rai school blades.
Some of the differences
however are:
1- Lack of Nie utsuri in the ji (rather shirake,whitish tinge to the steel appears)
2- Boshi is slightly pointed-not a smooth maru like in most Rai blades
3- Hamon is lacking in activity in the Ha area
This
particular smith came from Akasaka and then moved to Seki. The
line of
Kanesaki carried on well into the Shinto period. The famous
swordsmith
Inshu Kanesaki comes from this line and is one of the top
swordsmiths from
that particular area. This sword is genuine and is papered by the
NTHK
