Unusual tanto in the shape of a dragon

trenchwarfare · 23rd January 2015, 05:00 PM

I agree. I think late Victorian "tourista" piece, made for the Europeans who were ravenous for anything Oriental, Egyptian, or Medieval. I've seen two identical daggers on ebay. Pretty good blade shape though.

ronpakis · 23rd January 2015, 05:08 PM

Hello Henk,

I think the scabbard is indeed, as stated, created for economic purposes instead as for the traditional Japanese market. The blade does not look very wel imho but the pictures are bad. It looks like it has a dent in the cutting edge, not a sharp dent but more like a wave. Perhaps somebody used a grinder? Doe it have a hamon and hada? (When you receive it we will know)

Greetings Ronpakis

Henk · 23rd January 2015, 08:46 PM

Hello all,

Thank you for your input.

I followed the advise Spiral gave me and i sent a mail to Aoi Art. I hope they will take the time to give me an answer.

Estcrh,
If there was a description of the seller i would gladly post it, but there is none. I bought it at an auction and i was struck by it for sentimental reasons.

I certainly may hope a grinder wasn't used

When i recieve it i'm probably able to tell you more.
For me the value goes beyond the money, although the price i paid wasn't a price bringing up big expectations of a superb blade.

Henk · 24th January 2015, 08:24 PM

This is the answer i became today from Aoi Art.

This unusual engraving was made after the war time.
After the war ended a lot of occupation troops stayed Japan, and Japanese dealers sold as souvenir.
Many soldier bought as a memory of the victory of the war.
So ,you saw the item as same as yours

Nathaniel · 24th January 2015, 11:10 PM

Interesting information. Thanks for sharing, Henk. Touristy or not, I definitely appreciate the wood carving by hand..., today it would be done with power tools and probably plastic.

VANDOO · 25th January 2015, 03:32 AM

HERE ARE 3 EXAMPLES OF UNUSUAL JAPANESE KNIVES THAT FALL INTO THE SAME CATEGORY AS YOUR EXAMPLE. #1 HAS A YARI SPEAR BLADE AND IS CARVED LIKE A HOKADO FISH #2. JAPANESE SHRIMP OR LOBSTER KNIFE.
#3. SAID TO BE A JAPANESE TEMPLE KNIFE. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NO BETTER INFO. BUT THEY FALL IN THE TANTO SIZE RANGE RATHER THAN THE SHORT SWORD SIZE.

Henk · 25th January 2015, 12:13 PM

Thanks Vandoo for sharing your examples. I really like them.
It is just as Nathaniel said. It is absolutely well carved and your temple knife is done with real ivory and horn.

spiral · 28th January 2015, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henk

.
I followed the advise Spiral gave me and i sent a mail to Aoi Art. I hope they will take the time to give me an answer.
:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henk

This is the answer i became today from Aoi Art.

This unusual engraving was made after the war time.
After the war ended a lot of occupation troops stayed Japan, and Japanese dealers sold as souvenir.
Many soldier bought as a memory of the victory of the war.
So ,you saw the item as same as yours

Glad it helped.

24th January 2015, 08:24 PM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Answer from Aoi Art This is the answer i became today from Aoi Art. This unusual engraving was made after the war time. After the war ended a lot of occupation troops stayed Japan, and Japanese dealers sold as souvenir. Many soldier bought as a memory of the victory of the war. So ,you saw the item as same as yours

25th January 2015, 03:32 AM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE ARE 3 EXAMPLES OF UNUSUAL JAPANESE KNIVES THAT FALL INTO THE SAME CATEGORY AS YOUR EXAMPLE. #1 HAS A YARI SPEAR BLADE AND IS CARVED LIKE A HOKADO FISH #2. JAPANESE SHRIMP OR LOBSTER KNIFE. #3. SAID TO BE A JAPANESE TEMPLE KNIFE. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NO BETTER INFO. BUT THEY FALL IN THE TANTO SIZE RANGE RATHER THAN THE SHORT SWORD SIZE. Attached Images

23rd January 2015, 05:00 PM	#1
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	I agree. I think late Victorian "tourista" piece, made for the Europeans who were ravenous for anything Oriental, Egyptian, or Medieval. I've seen two identical daggers on ebay. Pretty good blade shape though.

23rd January 2015, 05:08 PM	#2
ronpakis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: netherlands Posts: 75	Dragon tanto Hello Henk, I think the scabbard is indeed, as stated, created for economic purposes instead as for the traditional Japanese market. The blade does not look very wel imho but the pictures are bad. It looks like it has a dent in the cutting edge, not a sharp dent but more like a wave. Perhaps somebody used a grinder? Doe it have a hamon and hada? (When you receive it we will know) Greetings Ronpakis

23rd January 2015, 08:46 PM	#3
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Hello all, Thank you for your input. I followed the advise Spiral gave me and i sent a mail to Aoi Art. I hope they will take the time to give me an answer. Estcrh, If there was a description of the seller i would gladly post it, but there is none. I bought it at an auction and i was struck by it for sentimental reasons. I certainly may hope a grinder wasn't used When i recieve it i'm probably able to tell you more. For me the value goes beyond the money, although the price i paid wasn't a price bringing up big expectations of a superb blade.

24th January 2015, 11:10 PM	#5
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Interesting information. Thanks for sharing, Henk. Touristy or not, I definitely appreciate the wood carving by hand..., today it would be done with power tools and probably plastic.

25th January 2015, 12:13 PM	#7
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Thanks Vandoo for sharing your examples. I really like them. It is just as Nathaniel said. It is absolutely well carved and your temple knife is done with real ivory and horn.