Large naginata auction on Yahoo Japan

[Gerry]

This large naginata just came up for auction today. It's rather unusual because it appears to have lots of core steel showing through the jihada, but the weight if still pretty substantial at over 1 kilogram.

 

It's not really my cup of tea, but I'm wondering if anyone knows which school has such thin kawagane? I know Hizen swords usually have thin kawagane, but this naginata is, of course, not Hizen.

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/k1201414863?allow=1

 

 

[Shugyosha]

Hi Gerry,

To me that doesn't look like natural wear from normal polishing. I'd suggest that it is the product of an acid polish and, given the state it's now in with most of the natural activity obscured and what looks like fake hitatsura, I think it is going to be a futile exercise trying to kantei it. 

[Rawa]

True way to bright.

[Lewis B]

Rai school is known to have thin kawagane => Rai hada

[Lexvdjagt]

Reminds me a little of this Ko-Uda katana:

 

https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_ja_tachi&katanaA100823.html

 

 

[Jussi Ekholm]

It is right up my alley.

 

NBTHK judged it as den Hōju and awarded Tokubetsu Hozon for it. I am personally a big fan of Hōju but it also tends to be an attribution bucket for items of "rougher" side like this one. Bit similar way how I think about Uda attribution is used. Some of the signed Hōju and Uda swords I have seen in museums feature quite nice workmanship, while some mumei work that gets attributed towards them is on rough side.

 

Here are two similar very big naginata-naoshi attributed to Hōju as reference.

I was actually hoping there would be a chance I could buy this one. Unfortunately not... this one is now in Funassyi collection and it was just on display at Osafune Sword Museum. Unfortunately they dont feature this sword at 2nd part of the exhibition that starts next week.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220920221746/https://www.aoijapan.com/katana-mumeijudged-as-hojunbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-token/

https://www.city.setouchi.lg.jp/site/token/1315.html

 

Here is a second one, these are not the most beautiful items in general but I like them.

https://kako.nipponto.co.jp/swords2/KT218307.htm

 

[Tim Evans]

A question for Jussi, who seems to have direct experience with Hoju swords. 

 

I am assuming that the comments above are identifying the darker areas as shintetsu. Is that really shintetsu or something else, such as the namazu-hada sometimes seen on Aoe swords? 

 

The reason I ask is because I have a similar sword, papered to Hoju, that also has the light and dark areas. However, the dark areas are tighter grained and have nie, which does not follow the definition for shintetsu. I can post images if interested.