A tanto with skull horimono [carving] | Signed Sadakazu | Heisei period, 20th century

The Property of a European Collector

A tanto with skull horimono [carving]

Signed Sadakazu

Heisei period, 20^th century

Sugata [configuration]: hira zukuri

Kitae [forging pattern]: itame hada

Hamon [tempering pattern]: broad notare with strong nie and nioi

Boshi [tip]: long kaeri

Horimono [carving]: skull and moorland grasses on the omote

Nakago [tang]: ubu, one mekugi-ana

Habaki [collar]: silver, single clad

Koshirae [mount]: the silver koshirae with elegant mounts with a nanako ground, the menuki of karashishi with gold inlay, chased and engraved with kashiwa mon [oak leaf crests] on a hammered ground, with an openwork panel inset with lacquered wood panels

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 20.2 cm., 8 in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.3 cm., ⅞ in.