A shin-shinto tanto blade with mounts


By Miyamoto Kanenori (1830-1926), Meiji era (1868-1912), 1910The slender blade of kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri form, gunome-midare, almost suguba of nie and nioi with kinsuji, tight itame hada, the ubu nakago with kiri yasurime and one mekugi-ana, signed Teishitsu Gigeiin Minamoto Kanenori, kotobuki hachijuissai saku (Miyamoto Kanenori, Artist-Craftsman to the Imperial Household, made this at 81 years old); in shirazaya; the saya (scabbard) and tsuka (hilt) of roiro lacquer, the saya inlaid with two shakudo medallions with gilt metal dragon and shishi; with two silk bags. The blade: 29.2cm (11½in) long. (8).
|Accompanied by an NBTHK Hozon certificate, a laminated appraisal from Aoi Art, and two oshigata, one of the blade, the other unassociated.A student of Yokoyama Sukekane, in 1866 Miyamoto Kanenori forged a blade for Emperor Komei. He went on to forge others for both the Meiji and the Taisho Emperors and in 1906 became one of the first two swordsmiths to be appointed to the prestigious order of Teishitsu Gigeiin (Artist-Craftsman to the Imperial Household), the forerunner of today's Ningen Kokuho (Living National Treasure).