AS20464-Tanto: Hideaki

Description

Tanto in Shirasaya(NBTHK Hozon Token)

Signature: Hideaki
Showa Inutatsu 8 Gatsuhi　(August 1928)

Explanation: This Tanto Hideaki was made at 1028 August.

Sayagaki: Mikasa Dai…Showa 3 Nen 11 Gatsu..Minamoto Hideaki.
Nichiro…

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku and regular
saku)
This sword belongs to Jyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki: Wooden Habaki.
Blade length: 15 cm or 5.9inches.
Mekugi: 1
Width at the Hamachi : 1.725cm or0.66 inches.
Kasane : 0.47cm or 0.18inches.
The weight of the sword 65 grams.
Era: Showa 3rd 1928
Shape: Short Tanto. Engraved Futasuji-Hi is on the frontside, Bo-hi on the backside
Jigane: Ko-Itame-Hada well grained, Jinie attached beautiful Jihada.
Hamon :Niedeki Gunome-midare with Ashi.

Special feature: Horii Toshihide whose real name was Kaneyoshi Horii, born in 1886
as the third son of Hirokichi Tokuda in Shiga pref. Toshihide became a pupil of
Horii Taneaki in 1904 and succeeded the Horii School as the Third.
Toshihide used three names: Hideaki, Kaneaki and Toshihide.
In 1918, Toshihide went to Hokkaido at the invitation of Nihon-Seiko,
a famous steelmaking company at Muroran City.
He continued forging the sword there. Toshihide is thought as one of
a representative swordsmith of the first half of the Showa period,
in the pre-war. He passed away in 1943 during World War2.
1942, he was ordered to make 10 Gensui to swords from the imperial
Household Ministry. but unfortunately, he passed away
by dying of a brain tumor halfway.
He made many swords and tanto requesting by the Royal family,
Imperial Household in order to imperial donation.
He also made a sword for Togo Heihachiro and achieve high evaluation.
At Token Hozon Kai, Hideaki Taisyo 2nd year Hideaki got
the title of Hideaki’s name which was received from Suishinshi Masahide.
The sword is big different from the regular Hideaki.
Generally, he made a Muji-style sword but this sword is mixed up
with old Jigane. The sword looks like Rai school old sword
probably Nakajima Rai school. Probably He was asked to make
Rai school sword and tried to make and succeeded
active high ranking sword.