This is an important tanto signed Tenta Saku, Miike school, and with a letter from Dr. Honma to Colonel Dean Hartley dating it to the Muromachi period. Dr. Junji Honma is notable as a foremost authority on Japanese swords, and Colonel Hartley was a collector as well, with notable accomplishments including past presidency of the JSSUS. Typical hirazukuri form with bohi horimono on both sides, itame mixed with masame hada. Suguha hamon with plentiful sunagashi and kinsuji. Iori mune. Ubu, signed "Tenta Saku". Shirasaya has Kanzan sayagaki attesting to the blade. 2 piece gold foil habaki. Mounted in a set of aikuchi tanto mounts, Muromachi, with a set of Goto Tokujo menuki, fifth mainline master, depicting grapes and shakudo. Kozuka with a bundle of florals (hemp?) and flowers in silver on a shakudo ground. Accompanied by Tokubetsu Kicho papers for both the blade and the menuki, copies of the catalog when this sold at Christies, scans of NBTHK journal 303, where this was shown and discussed, aforementioned letter to Dean Hartley from Dr. Honma, Hartley's submission to the 1976 Shinsa and associated paperwork. Notably, Hartley marked that he would not have paid for Juyo papers had the menuki warranted on the registration card. CONDITION: Very good, with some minor ware. Nakago with patina showing great age. Mounts excellent, roiro with some handling marks throughout, and repair visible at tsukaugchi and koiguchi. An important tanto, not only for the signature, but for its association with some of the modern nihonto greats. Blade Length: 24.5cm Overall Length: 17 - 1/8" Paperwork: Papers, letters, shirasaya