The Quail and the Crab - Late Muramachi period, 1592

Status

available

Price

$5,600

Description

This late Muramachi-period tanto, dated to 1592, is an elegant presentation piece believed to have been made as a gift for a wealthy and prominent daimyo or other high-ranking figure. The blade is attributed to Yokoyama Toshiro Sukesada and is housed in an exceptional koshirae that elevates the work beyond the blade alone. The tanto is mounted in a fitted presentation box with its own handmade stand, reinforcing its importance as a formal gift object. The blade measures approximately 8.5 inches and features a full temper line with a large wave-like midare hamon. Though the blade may have undergone one polish too many, it remains in excellent condition and retains the character of a prominent late 16th-century smith. What distinguishes this tanto most is its complete artistic program. The kozuka features a quail with corn and wheat, symbols of peace and prosperity. The saya continues the prosperity theme with beautifully executed gold wheat decoration, while a fighting crab appears as an emblem of warrior spirit and forward resolve. Fine engraving appears even in areas usually left plain, including interior details hidden by the kozuka and artwork on the kurigata, evidence of a commission made for an owner of rank and refinement. The fittings are preserved in excellent condition, with a beautifully engraved tsuba enriched with gold and silver work, fine fuchi-kashira, well-preserved menuki, aged ray skin, and an older two-tone sageo. Altogether, it is a tanto that demonstrates why samurai swords were treasured not only as weapons, but as complete works of art.

The Story

This tanto was pursued for two years before it could be acquired. What made it compelling was not only the blade, but the totality of the piece: the presentation box, the fitted stand, the kozuka, the beautifully preserved fittings, and the remarkable level of detail carried throughout the koshirae. It appears to have been created as a formal gift for a prominent daimyo or other high-ranking feudal figure. Details that would normally be plain are here carefully decorated, including hidden areas only the owner would ever notice. That kind of extra labor speaks to status, refinement, and intention. The theme is carried through the imagery. The quail, corn, and wheat suggest peace and prosperity. The crab introduces a more martial note, associated with warrior character and forward motion. Together, these details transform the tanto into more than a sidearm. It becomes an object of personal identity, taste, and rank. For collectors, this is exactly what makes a piece memorable. The blade matters, of course. But what creates the true wow factor is when the blade, the fittings, the symbolism, and the presentation all come together as one complete work of samurai art.

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