A tanto in this style is a beautiful example of a modern day smith and in superb condition. This shape was quite often seen from the earliest periods of swordsmithing until the the modern era. Mostly found in larger sizes this tanto and is an extremely rare version that emulates the old style tanto but from the modern period. This Tanto comes in a good  older polish. The hamon is a gunome-midare  with much Ara-nie with many fine activities that changes to sugu-ha. The blade was made in the bizen/mino style as seen in the shinsakuto era . The hada is a ko- masame with itame nagare.  The hamon abounds in sunagashi, kinsugi and ashi with much ji-nie. The gunome mounds have a 3 dimensional effect when viewed in hand. This style of hamon can be seen in the great works of Kane nori and also the Mishina school and others.  The blade is signed and dated and states who the sword was made for. A very nice detail to have provenance on a sword as it was special ordered.

The blade is in good honest mounts. It is in an Aikuchi style with a fine nodule same. There is a satsuma red lacquer finish on the saya and fittings. The kodzuka is of a diety in a cave and exceptionally rendered with a kokatana with dragon around ken.

Listing in Ôno Tadashi’s Gendai Tôkô Meikan (1971):

Taguchi Tsuneo (田口経雄)
Gunma Prefecture, Kiryû City, Honmachi 2 chôme 302
Born January 16^th 1910

1. Signed with “Sôryûshi Taguchi Gyôkei” (双龍子田口行慶) and “Minamoto Gyôkei” (源行慶). He took one character of his master Beppu Kôtarô Kiyoyuki (別府幸太郎清行), gyô/yuki (行) and one character of is grandfather Taguchi Keizaburô (田口慶三郎), kei/yoshi (慶) to form his name Gyôkei (行慶) which can also be read Yukiyoshi. His grandfather Keizaburô has been the second generation of the saw shop Nakaya Kumagorô (中屋熊五郎), i.e. he was forging saw blades. His gô Sôryûshi (双龍子) goes back to his studies with Ichiryûshi Imai Tsuguyoshi (一龍子今井継義).
2. He received his swordmaking license on September 25^th
3. In 1930, Gyôkei entered a four year apprenticeship with Beppu Kôtarô Kiyoyuki in Ashikaga. From 1940 onwards, he studied for four more years with Imai Fujitarô Tsuguyoshi in Maebashi. In 1943, he received orders from the Ministry of War to work as a guntô smith and in the very same year, he was accepted (nyûsen) to participate at the Army Arsenal’s sword making exhibition. He was also accepted for the NBTHK sword making contests in 1954, 1969, and 1970.
4. Lineage: Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu (笠間一貫斎繁継) → Imai Fujitarô Tsuguyoshi / Beppu Kôtarô Kiyoyuki → Gyôkei
5. Aims at: Minamoto Kiyomaro (源清麿)
6. Works with: (a) tamahagane and old iron, (b) pine charcoal, (c) muku-gitae, kôbuse-gitae
7. Accepting students: Upon request.
8. Price for a finished blade: katana 50,000 Yen, wakizashi 30,000 Yen, tantô 20,000 Yen

Picture: tantô signed “Taguchi Gyôkei saku, jigane itame, hamon suguha with ko-ashi, bôshi ko-maru, nagasa 26.3 cm 

Signature on this blade:

Minamoto Gyôkei (源行慶)

Shôwa mizunoe-ne jûgatsu hi (昭和壬子十月日) – “a day in October of the year of the rat of the Shôwa era (1972)”

Nakano Michihiro-kun no tame (為中野道浩君) – “for Mr. Nakano Michihiro”

This was a special ordered Tanto for Mr. Michihiro.