Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchAntique Japanese Tantō, unsigned (mumei) — mid-Edo period A genuine antique short sword — an ideal first nihontō This is an unsigned ( mumei ) tantō in original, un-shortened ( ubu ) condition, judged to date from the mid-Edo period (18th century). At 23 cm, it is a full, classic tantō length, with the calm, dignified presence of a straight-tempered blade. Offered at an approachable price, it is an excellent first genuine Japanese sword for the newcomer — and a quietly refined study piece for any collector. A genuine antique, made to be enjoyed Many people who admire Japanese swords assume that owning a real, antique, traditionally-forged nihontō is out of reach. This tantō is proof that it need not be. It is not a reproduction or a modern copy but a genuine Edo-period blade, hand-forged in tamahagane steel and water-quenched in the age-old way — the same craft as the great swords of the samurai. For a first purchase, it lets the new collector hold and study the real thing: the grain of the steel, the temper line, the quiet curve of the blade. Form, workmanship and condition The blade is made in hira-zukuri with an iori-mune (peaked back) and a very slight curvature. The jigane is a well-worked ko-itame (fine wood-grain), tightly and beautifully forged. Over it runs a chū-suguha — a medium-width straight temper — within which fine kinsuji ("golden lines" of nie activity) can be seen playing along the edge, a subtle detail that rewards close viewing. The blade is freshly polished, and both steel and temper are in good, healthy condition — very nearly flawless. It shows its workmanship clearly and is thoroughly enjoyable as it is. On the unsigned tang The tang ( nakago ) is unsigned. Many fine Edo-period tantō were made without a signature, and being ubu — never shortened — this blade retains its original form and character exactly as it left the smith. For the collector, an unsigned blade is a chance to appreciate a sword on its own merits: its shape, steel, and temp
NihontoWatchOffered by Tozando
This piece has sold
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
As a general rule, returns/exchanges are not accepted on Japanese sword orders unless damaged upon delivery. Other items: returns/exchanges accepted within 7 days of delivery. Cancellation for personal reasons incurs a 30% restocking fee (70% refunded). Return shipping must be prepaid and insured by the buyer; shipping/handling fees are non-refundable. Contact katana@tozando.co.jp to initiate a return.