Japanese

A Most Beautiful Fine Quality Shinto Wakizashi With All Original Edo Period Fittings and Silver Mounts. Circa 1650

Japanese Wakizashi, with a signed Shinto, very good shinogi zukuri blade in fabulous polish, with a fine suguha hamon, and wazamono sharp.

The sword has a tsuka with gold ito bound over a pair of superb shakudo shishi lion dogs on samegawa, a shakudo kashira with nanako ground and decorated with takebori sage wearing a court cap, with gold highlights, and a plain silver fuchi and shakudo nanako tsuba decorated with plants.

It is in its original Edo period stunning saya, decorated with pine needle and abilone shell lacquer, an inlaid silver kojiri of elaborate scrolls, and a plain silver koi guchi that matches the silver fuchi, and a kozuka pocket for an optional kozuka to be housed.

Kanzan Sato, in his book titled "The Japanese Sword", notes that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tanto due to the wakizashi being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the obi waist sash. Although they appear to be likely a relative expensive luxury compared to other antique swords from other nations, they are in fact incredible value for money, for example a newly made bespoke samurai style sword blade from Japan will cost, today, in excess of £11,000, take up to two years to complete, will come with no fittings at all, and will be modern naturally with no historical context or connection to the ancient samurai past in any way at all. Our fabulous original swords can be many, many, hundreds of years old, stunningly mounted as fabulous quality works of art, and may have been owned and used by up to 30 samurai in their working lifetime. Plus, due to their status in Japanese society, look almost as good today as the did possibly up to 400 years ago, or even more. Every katana, tachi, or wakazashi buyer will receive A complimentary sword stand, plus a silk bag, white handling gloves and a white cleaning cloth.

Excellent condition overall, superb polished blade showing a fine suguha hamon, a crisp, razor sharp cutting edge without blemish.  read more

Code: 25032

A Beautiful Edo Period Original Samurai Armour, Gosuko Likely 17th Century and Used Into The 18th Century With 12 Plate Goshozan Suji Bachi Kabuto Helmet And A Super Ressai Fierce Full Face Armour Menpo And Clan Mon Tassets of The Honda Tadakatsu Clan

A superb early to mid Edo samurai yoroi, with the symbol in gold of deer antlers emblazoned on both haidate thigh protectors tassets, which would indicate a samurai of the clan of the great Honda Tadakatsu, a 17th century general and later daimyo serving under Tokugawa Iayesu, whose symbol was his famous deer antlers worn upon his kabuto helmet.
Deer antlers were seen as symbols of the messengers of the gods.

Honda Tadakatsu (本多 忠勝, March 17, 1548 – December 3, 1610), also called Honda Heihachirō (本多 平八郎) was a Japanese samurai, general, and daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu.

It has a fine helmet kabuto of 12 plates, a 12 plate goshozan suji bachi kabuto. A helmet which is a multiple-plate type of Japanese helmet bowl with raised ridges or ribs showing where the 12 tate hagi-no-ita ( helmet plates) come together at the five-stage tehen kanamono finial, with the fukurin metal edges on each of the standing plates. The mabisashi peak lacquered and it has a four-tier lacquered iron hineno-jikoro neck-guard laced with dark blue. The interior shows four very ancient helmet plates rivetted together to form the interior support basis of the 12 plate skull. Unlined. With full face ressai menpo {the grimacing expression face armour} sets it off superbly with a most intimidating presence. When this was worn by its fierce-some armoured samurai, he must have looked spectacularly impressive. Dou or do, a chest armour made up of iron plates of various sizes and shapes with pendents
kusazuri made from iron or leather plates hanging from the front and back of the dou to protect the lower body and upper leg.
Sode, large modern rectangular shoulder protection made from iron and or leather plates.
Kote, armoured glove like sleeves which extended to the shoulder or han kote (kote gauntlets) which covered the forearms. Kote made from cloth covered with iron plates of various size and shape, connected by chain armor (kusari). Haidate, thigh guards which tied around the waist and covered the thighs. These were made from cloth with small iron and or leather plates of various size and shape, connected to each other by chain armour (kusari) and sewn to the cloth.
Suneate, shin guards made from iron splints connected together by chain armour (kusari) and sewn to cloth and tied around the calf.

The “deer-horn helmet” and deer horns, came henceforth, to be known as his symbol.

Tadakatsu’s helmet “Kazuno Wakidate Kabuto,” or Japanese armour (yoroi/kabuto), was a simple black helmet. His helmet is famous for its deer horn flanks. There are various theories as to why deer horns were used as the side of the helmet. When Yoshimoto Imagawa was shot in the Battle of Okehazama and Ieyasu’s army had to immediately return to Okazaki Castle, Tadakatsu found that the river was swollen, and he could not cross. At that moment, a deer appeared, and when he was watching the deer also trying to cross to the opposite bank, he found shallow water at a certain point and crossed the river. Thanks to this, the deer was able to return safely to Mikawa. Since then, Tadakatsu made up his mind to “protect Ieyasu-dono for the rest of his life like the deer did that one time,” and made a helmet out of the deer’s horns. Deers have also been cherished as messengers of the gods since ancient times. There are various theories as to why deers were regarded as messengers of the gods, but in mountainous Japan, the deer’s ability to run through steep mountains may have portrayed them as animals with mystical powers. In addition to his military prowess, Honda Tadakatsu was also attractive because of his large figure as a man, which is probably the reason why he is still popular today as a military commander who attracts many people

In the 16th century Japan began trading with Europe during what would become known as the Nanban trade. Samurai acquired European armour including the cuirass and comb morion which they modified and combined with domestic armour as it provided better protection from the newly introduced matchlock muskets known as Tanegashima. The introduction of the tanegashima by the Portuguese in 1543 changed the nature of warfare in Japan causing the Japanese armour makers to change the design of their armours from the centuries-old lamellar armours to plate armour constructed from iron and steel plates which was called tosei gusoku.

Bullet resistant armours were developed called tameshi gusoku or (bullet tested) allowing samurai to continue wearing their armour despite the use of firearms. This armour has areas of worn and naturally aged lacquer and areas of cloth/material that are perished due to it's great age and just as would be expected.
Complete with storage box unlidded  read more

Code: 20251

Ko Tosho School Swordsmith Made Koto Katana Tsuba Circa 1400

The strong, softly lustrous metal and very well cut, the large Hitsu-ana, and the antique chisel marks around the Hitsu-ana are all characteristic indications of early-Muromachi period works. Carved openwork clan mon. The Hitsu-ana, made when the guard was first produced, suggests that it is a work of the time of Yoshimitsu. A well worked and hammered plate. According to tradition, it says each time a Tosho made a to-ken, he made a habaki with his own hands, and at the same time he also added a single tsuba such as this.
The earliest Tosho tsuba are referred to in Japanese as Ko-Tosho old sword smith and date from the Genpei War (1180-1185) to middle Muromachi Period (1400-1500).

During the late Kamakura Period large Ko-Tosho tsuba were developed and were used mostly as field mounts for odachi by high-ranking Samurai during and after the Mongol invasion of Japan in Genko Jidai (1274-1281 ) in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) the Ko-Tosho tsuba became even more common with the development and popularization of the onehanded sword uchigatana as the only sword of Ashigaru.
The most common design characteristic, next to the plain flat plate, for Ko-Tosho tsuba is kosukashi the simplistic use of small negative silhouetted openwork. The most common openwork designs are of mon (family crest), sun, moon, tools, plants, Buddhist, Shinto and sometimes Christian religious symbols. The plates iron is characteristically of a good temper, having good hardness and elasticity. The plate is made of local iron forged by the swordsmith or apprentice, the same as for Japanese sword blades. 74mm  read more

Code: 19741

A Most Unusual & Rare Edo Period Katana Tsuba, With Rotational Fitting. This is An Incdibly Rare Form of Tsuba in that it Has Two Methods To Mount It On Katana. Vertical or Horizontal

An iron sukashi tsuba, cut with four different shaped symbols as kozuka-ana and kogai-ana, and two, North and South, or East and West facing blade apertures, to enable the rotation of the tsuba when mounting it onto the blade. Thus altering the profile of the tsuka from wide to narrow.
The tsuba is always usually a round, ovoid or occasionally squarish guard at the end of the tsuka of bladed Japanese weapons but always usually designed to be worn one way upon the sword, either the katana and its various declinations, tachi, wakizashi, tanto, and polearms that have a tsuba, such as naginata etc.

They contribute to the balance of the weapon and to the protection of the hand. The tsuba was mostly meant to be used to prevent the hand from sliding onto the blade during thrusts as opposed to protecting from an opponent's blade. The chudan no kamae guard is determined by the tsuba and the curvature of the blade. The diameter of the average katana tsuba is 7.58 centimetres (3.0-3.1 in), wakizashi tsuba is (2.4-2.6 in), and tanto tsuba is 4.5-6 cm (1.8-2.4 in).

During the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and the Momoyama period (1573-1603) Tsuba were more for functionality than for decoration, being made of stronger metals and designs. During the Edo period (1603-1868) tsuba became more ornamental and made of less practical metals such as gold.

Tsuba are usually finely decorated, and are highly desirable collectors' items in their own right. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other.  read more

Code: 16704

A Most Pleasant Reminder of An Interview We Gave With The Japanese Press

We received a most pleasant surprise from a Japanese friend who works in the Japanese Consulate in Piccadilly, London.

It was his copy of a most informal interview that we gave during our stock listing, it was a boiling hot summers day, and our air con was struggling.

It was with a most polite and courteous journalist {they all are in fact} from a Japanese newspaper a little while ago.  read more

Code: 23310

A Superb, Ancient Koto Long Katana, Circa 1390 to1420 With a Very Fine Suite of Jakushi Iron & Gold Koshirae, A Signed Tsuba, and Matching Jukushi Fuchi-Kashira. The Stunning Black Saya Has Four Aoi Mon in Hiramaki-e Gold Lacquer of The Tokugawa

A 600 to 630 year old, long and mighty blade, of 29 inches, measured from the tsuba to tip in beautiful condition, with a fabulous hamon. This is a most impressive ancient sword from the great warring period of Japan Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means one who serves."
The late saya bears 4 deep relief gold aoi gold mon hiramaki-e low relief lacquer, the triple hollyhock leaf, of the Tokugawa, on a fine black lacquer ground. The tsuka has just been re bound in stunning black silk ito.
The theme of the koshirae is influenced by the Province of Hizen (肥前國). Forged iron (tetsu 鉄) hand guard (tsuba 鐔) is a work of the Jakushi (杓子) School based in the port city of Nagasaki (長崎) in Hizen Province, and inlaid with small silver and gold detailing. The artistic scene on both sides of the tsuba is that of a Chinese style painting made popular during the Ming Dynasty that was exported to southern Japan during the beginning of the Edo Period with the collapse of the Ming Dynasty (1644 CE). The fuchi-gashira (縁頭) is made of forged iron. The tsuba is signed by Jakushi (杓子) on its obverse face. The signature style is consistent with what the Jakushi School used during the Edo Period.

When this sword was first made it would have been the period of the end of the Nanboku-chō period, when a form of civil war was fought between the Northern Japanese Emperor and the Southern Japanese Emperor. Go-Kameyama acceded to the throne during the turbulent Nanboku-chō period during which rival claimants to the Chrysanthemum Throne gathered supporters around them in what were known as the Northern court and the Southern Court. Go-Kameyama became Emperor in what was called the Southern court when Emperor Chōkei abdicated in 1383. On October 15, 1392, at the insistence of the peace faction amongst his own courtiers, he applied to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu for peace; and he subsequently returned to the capital where he did hand over the Sacred Treasures to his Northern Court rival. In doing so, Go-Kameyama was understood to have abdicated.
From then it was in the era of use in the
1419 Ōei Invasion to Wokou bases on Tsushima Island
1428 Cholera epidemic and extreme impoverishment in now Shiga Prefecture have resulted in the Shocho uprising.
1438 Flare-up of Eikyō disturbance in the Kantō region after 22 years of confrontation between local lords and shogunate
1443 The Treaty of Gyehae was signed, resulting in Wokou pirates becoming increasingly non-Japanese.
1454 The Kyōtoku Incident starts the 32 years of instability and bloodshed in the semi-independent Kantō region.
1457 Takeda Nobuhiro emerged victorious after repelling an Ainu assault on Kaminokuni, Hokkaido, marking the beginning of Japanese conquest of Hokkaido.
Edo Castle, a nucleus of modern Tokyo, was built.
1459 Bad handling of the Kanshō famine in the aftermath of flood and plague in Kyoto has resulted in increasing divisions of society, which led to the Sengoku period
The Sengoku period Sengoku Jidai, "Warring States period" is a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and intrigue from 1467 to 1615.

The Sengoku period was initiated by the Onin War in 1467 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga Shogunate. Various samurai warlords and clans fought for control over Japan in the power vacuum, while the Ikkō-ikki emerged to fight against samurai rule. The arrival of Europeans in 1543 introduced the arquebus into Japanese warfare, and Japan ended its status as a tributary state of China in 1549. Oda Nobunaga dissolved the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573 and launched a war of political unification by force, including the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, until his death in the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582. Nobunaga's successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed his campaign to unify Japan and consolidated his rule with numerous influential reforms. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592, but their eventual failure damaged his prestige before his death in 1598. Tokugawa Ieyasu displaced Hideyoshi's young son and successor Toyotomi Hideyori at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and re-established the feudal system under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Sengoku period ended when Toyotomi loyalists were defeated at the siege of Osaka in 1615.

The Sengoku period was named by Japanese historians after the similar but otherwise unrelated Warring States period of China.  read more

Code: 24034

The Lanes Armoury Probably The Largest Online Militaria Website in the World, & The Imminent 23rd Anniversary of Our Best Antique & Collectables Shop in Britain Award

Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE in 2001.

Four years ago we were approached by a most historically enthusiastic young person studying at Sussex University who asked if they could research through our archive to complete a 'paper' based on us as one of the oldest remaining Sussex family business's.
It resulted in some remarkable statistics, that we thought we would share with our regulars, for those that have interest. The research only included the types of items that we regularly buy, sell and export today, with general antiques, furniture, porcelain, clocks, silver and works of art excluded, as we haven't been devoted to that side of the trade since selling our antique export shipping companies in 1992.

In over 100 years of shop keeping in Brighton, 80 of them pre-internet, apparently, we have likely sold over 200,000 books, {vintage and antique books were, and are, our largest selling single item}, 135,000 medals & badges, over 95,000 worldwide swords, knives and bayonets, over 32,000 Japanese samurai swords {for example, around 28 years ago we bought over 150 Japanese WW2 NCO swords in one vast lot, from the grandson of a WW2 British military surplus dealer, who acquired them for scrap in 1946 from the War Dept}. We have sold and exported,, apparently over 28,500 helmets of all origins and types, 27,000 pistols and muskets of all countries, at least 2450 suits of armour, European, British or Japanese, and over 1,500 cannon, both signal and full sized. Believe it or not, apparently, according to their research and calculations, these are potentially conservative figures, and the actual figure could indeed be much higher.
So, please enjoy our historical website, and remember, every thing you see is available and for sale, we try to never keep our webstore filled with past 'sold' items. Being part of the centre of the historic Brighton Lanes, anything up 2,000 to 3,000 people or students, can visit us here most days {especially on Saturdays} winter and summer, rain or shine.
We issue our unique, certificate of authenticity, with every single item purchased, and in regards to our Japanese items, both weapons and fittings etc. We detail their beauty, approximate age, style, and the feature of their fittings and mounts, and their potential position and status in Japanese samurai history. We will detail the translations, if known, of the kanji (names) on the nakago of swords, under their hilt bindings, but purely for information only, although the myth persists that all Japanese master smiths signed their swords, historically, and factually, it is likely less than 30% of samurai blades were in fact ever signed. This fact is certainly found and confirmed by us to be the case, in our family’s, over 100 year experience. For example, it is said one of the greatest master smiths who ever lived, Masamune, was, apparently, most reluctant to ever sign his swords. Although this must be relative speculation, as so very few of his swords have been recognised to still exist

Our Certificates of Authenticity are our own version of a lifetime guarantee, containing a detailed description of any item purchased from our stock. In relation to our samurai weapons, the description with be of its style, approximate age and subjective beauty, and for our Japanese samurai swords in particular, that it is an ‘original’, samurai sword, made and used by samurai, both ancient and vintage, within Japan, over the past 700 years, up to the last samurai period in the Meiji era of 1868, as well as up to 1945, if it is a military mounted shingunto sword.  read more

Code: 22565

Superb Early to Mid Edo,Museum Quality Signed Samurai War Helmet Kabuto, by Nobutada, of 21 'Helmet Skull' or 'Bowl Plates', with a Leaping Animal, Carved Wooden and Gold Maedate & Clan Mon of the Sakai Clan, & “Fierce Face” Ressai, Face Armour

A truly fabulous, original, Edo samurai's antique kabuto, war helmet, worthy of a museum display, the best samurai or Japanese art collections, or as a single 'statement' piece for any home. This is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful and fine original antique samurai war helmets, kabuto, we have seen for a jolly long time. Helmets of such beauty and quality as this can be prized and valued as much as a complete original samurai armour.

The imposing beauty of the helmet is entrancing, and the menpo {the moustached, grimacing expression face armour} sets it off superbly with a most intimidating presence. When this was worn by its fierce-some armoured samurai he must have looked spectacularly impressive.

A 21 plate goshozan sujibachi kabuto, with ressei {fierce face } mempo face armour, that has just returned from having the mempo's moustache expertly conserved, and it looks as good as new.

Probably a 17th-18th century, 21 ken plate, Sujibachi, which is a multiple-plate type of Japanese helmet skull bowl with raised ridges or ribs showing where the 21 tate hagi-no-ita (helmet plates) come together creating the main skull bowl bachi, and culminating at the multi stage tehen kanamono finial, with the fukurin metal edges on each of the standing plates.
The mabisashi peak is lacquered and it has a four-tier lacquered iron hineno-jikoro neck-guard laced with gold, and the skull is surmounted by a gilt-lacquered wood leaping animal, the maedate (forecrest), possibly a rabbit or deer, the Fukigaeshi small front wings shows the mon crest symbol of a plain form katabami mon {the wood sorrel flower}.

It's one of popular kamon that is a design of the flower of oxalis corniculata.
The founder of the clan that chose this flower as their mon had wished that their descendants would flourish well. Because oxalis corniculata is renown, and fertile plant.
the mon form as used by clans such as the Sakai, including daimyo lord Sakai Tadayo

One of the great Sakai clan lords was Sakai Tadayo (酒井 忠世, July 14, 1572 – April 24, 1636). He was a Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku period, and high-ranking government advisor, holding the title of Rōjū, and later Tairō. You can see his image in the gallery wearing the very same form of war helmet kabuto.

The son of Sakai Shigetada, Tadayo was born in Nishio, Mikawa Province; his childhood name was Manchiyo. He became a trusted elder (rōjū) in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's government, alongside Tokugawa Ieyasu. Under Hideyoshi, he was made lord of Kawagoe Castle (in Musashi Province, today Saitama Prefecture) and later of Nagoya Castle in Kyūshū's Hizen Province. In 1600, in the lead-up to the decisive Sekigahara campaign, he fought against the Tokugawa at Aizu, and submitted to them at the siege of Ueda. Thus, having joined the Tokugawa prior to the battle of Sekigahara itself, Sakai was made a fudai daimyō, and counted among the Tokugawa's more trusted retainers. He served under Ieyasu for a time, and under the second shōgun, Tokugawa Hidetada, as a hatamoto.
The lacquered iron menpo (face mask) with four-lame yodarekake face armour. The kabuto is signed on the interior Nobutada saku Nobutada made this

After the introduction of firearms, smoke blanketed many battlefields, causing confusion for the troops. So they could be more readily identified, samurai began to wear helmets with elaborate ornaments at the front, back, or sides, often featuring an intricate crest (maedate).

In their quest for unique and meaningful armour, samurai turned to nature, folklore, or religion for inspiration. Whatever the source, they selected designs for their armor that would set them apart and communicate their personality and beliefs, whether whimsical, frightening, or spiritual.

An antique woodblock print in the gallery, likely of Sakai Tadayo, showing his same form of war helmet kabuto, decorated with his same Sakai clan mon of the katabami, and he also has a leaping animal, gold covered carved wood, as his maedate helmet crest as has ours. And he has the same 'fierce face' mempo face armour with the very same style of elaborate, pronounced moustache.

The Fukigaeshi on the left facing side of the helmet shows the mon crest symbol of a plain katabami mon but small surface lacquer area partly missing. There are very small age nicks to the helmet lacquer. It has its original helmet lining but most removed back to reveal the signature

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25056

A Shinto Samurai Yari Pole Arm Signed Yamashiro Kami Fujiwara Norishige, Probably Yamashiro-no-Kami Fujiwara Kunishige, Early Edo Period

A beautiful Edo Period Samurai Horseman Ryo-Shinogi Yari Polearm on original haft, signed.
With original pole and iron foot mount ishizuki. Four sided double edged head. The mochi-yari, or "held spear", is a rather generic term for the shorter Japanese spear. It was especially useful to mounted Samurai. In mounted use, the spear was generally held with the right hand and the spear was pointed across the saddle to the soldiers left front corner. The warrior's saddle was often specially designed with a hinged spear rest (yari-hasami) to help steady and control the spear's motion. The mochi-yari could also easily be used on foot and is known to have been used in castle defense. The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu. A yari on it's pole can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (3.3 to 20 feet).
The longer hafted versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest hafted versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter hafted yari. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century.

The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods.  read more

Code: 25187

A Beautiful Koto Period Ancient Aikuchi Tanto Circa 1500, With An Equally Beautiful Blade

Around 500 years old.

With kodzuka utility knife decorated with deep relief takebori crabs. Unusually the saya is covered with black lacquered leather. All original Edo period mounts and fittings. Silver inlaid iron hilt mounts with patinated copper menuki of shishi liondogs. The saya has a small mount of a silver inlaid quail. The blade has now just returned from re-polishing and looks absolutely beautiful. The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto were the most popular styles for wars in the kamakura period. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the tanto hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place. In Nambokucho, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow. The aikuchi is a tanto koshirae where the fuchi is flush with the mouth of the saya. Overall 21 3/4 inches long, blade length 12 1/4 inches  read more

Code: 23142