Bidspirit auction | Tanto- 39.8 cm, Japanese Samurai

Tanto- 39.8 cm, Japanese Samurai sword, Edo period (1600-1868 AD) or earlier. - Tanto- 39.8 cm, Japanese Samurai sword, Edo period (1600-1868 AD) or earlier. Overall length of the sword: 398 mm = 39.8 cm; Length of the blade (nagasa) only: 290 mm = 29 cm; Blade is wide, 8 mm-thick and very sharp. Weight: 344 g; SORI (curvature): 3 mm; Nakago (tang): one hole, possibly was cut several hundred years ago to make the sword shorter for close up fight or hara-kiri. TSUKA (handle): absent; SAYA (scabbard): absent; Provenance: Private collection of arms in Florida. Tantō (短刀, ”short blade”): A sword with a blade shorter than 30 cm. Tantō is generally classified as a sword, but its usage is the same as that of a knife. Usually one-edged, but some were double-edged, though asymmetrical.