K19. Sunnobi tanto signed Bishu Osafune Yukikage.

Nagasa: 12 1/2″ 31.8 cm.

Sori: .5 mm.

Moto haba: 2.6 cm.

Moto kasane: .55 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 3 15/16″ 10 cm.

Overall in shira-saya: 10 7/8″ 50.5 cm.

Overall of koshirae: 18″ 45.4 cm.

Hozon paper from the NBTHK dated 2013. Itame with mokume hada, bo utsuri on both sides. The hamon is a bright nioi guchi in suguba of gumome-choji covered in the finest of ko-nie. The boshi is a continuation of the hamon ending with a swept ko-maru on the ura and a pointed boshi on the omote. The kaeri is short. There is some coarse grain near the bo hi on either side and a small pit in the kissaki. The blade is in polish and mounted with a silver foil habaki and well made shira-saya.

The koshirae also is papered: Hozon dated 2013. A former owner has included a copy of the paper with translation written in. “Vermillion ishime ground with kamon lacquered aikuchi tanto koshirae. Tsuka: sendan-maki brown lacquered. Wari-kogai: sakura & grass. Kotsuka: (this has been swapped for the present kotsuka). Kanagu: waves & ama-ryu, unsigned.” I believe the tsuka ito to be baleen, from a whale. The mekigi is a 2 piece silver and shakudo threaded unit. The fuchi and koi guchi are inlaid with gold (stylized dragon). The kashira and kojiri are unusual in that they are 2 designs each, half & half. One side is waves in silver and the other is gold dragons again. The lacquer of the saya is chipping at the edges (mune & ha), especially at the bottom. This koshirae is very likely Higo in origin.

2 pounds. $2,950.