Here we have a very unique find. It’s a Japanese Ken and it is in very good condition. The blade is in a good polish and is mounted in a Japanese Ho Wood shirasaya that is very well-made. We do not always sell these type of swords as they hard to find. The blade has a carving of a flowing dragon on one side.  On the other it has a signature that may have something to do with the owner of the sword.  Ken are one of the rarer styles of tanto. Ken have double edged blades and were mainly made as Buddhist ritual implements although it is not uncommon to find them mounted and used as tanto. Some ken style tanto were made from cut down yari. Ken style tanto were made in Koto, Shinshinto and Gendai eras; but few were made during the Shinto period (few tanto of any style were made during the Shinto era). Ken blades may have parallel edges or double concave shapes as above. Some of the top sword smiths in history made ken as offerings to various temples.