S131. Fairly thick unokubi zukuri tanto signed Takamitsu.

Nagasa: 8 13/16″ 22.4 cm.

Sori: 1.5 mm.

Moto haba: 2.6 cm.

Moto Kasane: .5 cm.

Saki Kasane: .7 cm.

Nakago Nagasa: 9.3 cm.

Overall length in shira-saya: 15 5/8″ 39.8 cm.

The hamon is worked in ko-nie, suguba in shallow notare with instances of ko-gunome ko-chogi on the lower half of the blade (especially on the omote). The boshi is yaki-zume (no return). Tight and tiny ko-itame hada with strong masame. There is one instance, on the omote just above the machi, where you might say there is a very slightly open grain, quite tight and not the least bit noticeable but I try to mention everything. Otherwise the blade is flawless. Mounted in well made shirasaya in excellent condition and with a nice solid silver habaki. There are faint and small scratches on the otherwise intact polish.

The koshirae is held together by a competently made tsunagi with a wooden habaki. Textured black lacquer saya with horn koi-guchi, kurikata, and ko-jiri; a pocket for kogatana and kotsuka, which are missing. The tsuba is iron with gold and silver butterfly and flowers. The fuchi/kashira are brass with gold and shakudo flowers, leaves, and vines. The menuki are bulls in shakudo with touches of gold. Good quality same’ under a wrap that is perfectly intact. The condition of the koshirae, all pieces including the lacquer, is very good: no problems to warn you of. Both koshirae and blade in shira-saya come with purple silk or silk like bags in good shape.

There are a dozen or so Takamitsu listed in Hawley’s, including a couple working in late Koto Bingo Mihara. I can’t guarantee that one of them was responsible for this blade but, with the near armor piercing sugata, hamon, and hada, it seems a logical choice. Blades of this shape were popular in the 16th century and Mihara comes out of Yamato Den with its emphasis on masame hada. Nice rig here: a healthy blade in polish with koshirae and at a price that won’t break your bank. 1 pound, 6 ounces. $975.