Bizen Sukesada Tanto
Nihonto are the real swords of the Samurai. These swords were made using technology and materials that made them super sharp and break resistant. The steel they were forged from is called tamahagane, or jewel steel. This steel was appreciated for it’s properties that made it ideal for sword making. Each sword region, or school, had it’s own guarded formula, many times yielding steel that was not only strong, but also beautiful. In fact, one of the ways we identify swords is by the color and quality of the steel particular to an area.
This tamahagane was forged into a sword by folding, and layering steel of varies strength & hardness properties. This process produced blades that were not only sharp, but incredibly resilient, as the vigors of the Samurai in battle. Swordsmiths were rated based on the sharpness of their blades, as judged by test cutters. Samurai demanded swords that they could rely on in battle.
The Sukesada line of smiths is considered to be among the most prolific of the Sue Bizen. In fact, it was perhaps the most successful sword making school in all of Japanese history. The Osafune center of the Bizen Province was known for producing superior quality tamahagane, because of it’s iron ore and charcoal. Many famous swordsmiths called Osafune their home forge. Some of the most notable are Nagamitsu, Kagemitsu, Kanemitsu. The Ichimonji and later, the Sukesada line of smiths also rose to fame in this area, until a great flood destroyed their forges.
Sukesada swords were very popular among Samurai of the day for their battleworthiness and aesthetic appeal. This particular tanto demonstrates the ostentatiousness the Sukesada became famous for. The best smiths of this line are rated as high as Saijo Saku by Fujishiro. Yosozaemon Sukesada is considered to be the best smith of the Sukesada line. It is hard to say which Sukesada made this sword because there are so many smiths in their lineage, but the work shows some of the attributes of their best smiths. Note the exuberance of the forging and wild hamon with abundant utsuri. These are desirable attributes in judging a Sukesada sword.
This sword is healthy and papered by the NBTHK as Tokubetsu Hozon. The older “Blue Papers” are considered to be closer to Juyo Token than the current brown papers. It is in old polish, but very enjoyable as is. If I were going to invest in a new polish, I would pay extra for an upscale one.
Nagasa: 23.5 cm
Motohaba: 2.2 cm
Price: SOLD