Who made this $2,545 ATS-34?

[mengwong]

Requesting help with kanji, please. This knife belongs to a friend who inherited it under highly sentimental circumstances.

Back side has maybe an owner’s inscription?

Stickers

Swanky box

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[rickbern]

The model number sounds like it comes from korin. Try to call them and see

https://www.korin.com/site/PDFs/KnifeCatalog.pdf

 

[jcsiii]

Korin was selling these in different handles in what feels like 10 years ago

 

[Qapla']

Togiharu.

 

[stringer]

Thread 'Korin Exclusive Togiharus' Korin Exclusive Togiharus

 

[Heckel7302]

Thread 'Korin Exclusive Togiharus' Korin Exclusive Togiharus

@stringer pulling from the ARCHIVES. nice.

 

[mengwong]

Thanks all, I have educated myself about Hiromune Takaba:

Takaba and Hashimoto are examples of a more artistic vision, so I can see why people would buy those strictly for display purposes. Though I would be more than tempted to put a Takaba through some produce

I have also educated my friend about the extremely niche community of Japanese artisanal sword-makers, enriched with wild speculation about the economic drivers that cause them to bleed over into the adjacent market of artisanal knife-making.

I shared three videos – in thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

Thesis:


Antithesis: a written complaint from Garry Winogrand’s ex-wife Judy Teller
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNg2w64A/
Synthesis:

 

[Moooza]

They must have been some of the first kitchen knives Takaba ever made. Interesting to see his knife shape hasn't changed much.
What a beauty

 

[Corradobrit1]

I bet there are hidden details hiding under those scratch marks. Worthy of a good Jnat nihonto polish.