Naginata Naoshi

Anyone have any thoughts on this naginata naoshi wakizashi? The nagasa is 18" and it has a notare midare hamon with lots of fine nie and ji-nie. Lots of activity including nijuba and sunagashi. The boshi has hakkikake. The jigane is a tight itame.

I'm wondering if it ever was a naginata? The nakago is suriage and has traces of a red lacquered inscription. Does anyone have any idea on age? I'm guessing its shinto or later but it seems to be a well forged blade.

Peter, I would tend towards a Naginata (80%) ...

Looks like a well forged blade! I'd say it's from around 1650 - 1700.

Regards,

Max

Peter,

Just my two cents. I think it was very much likely a naginata but given the sugata, hakkikake boshi, and the hada and activity I can see I would be leaning more toward koto. Curious as to what makes you think Shinto or later? In any case, it appears to be a very nice piece, I love naginata that don't have that drastic hook at the end! A very stout, powerful looking blade IMO.

Just saw Max's post and would ask the same, what are you guys seeing that speaks Shinto to you? I have a similar piece that I pegged as Koto so I am just trying to pick your brains a bit!

Doug

I'm in the koto naginata group.

You want to have a look at the boshi and see if it goes straight off the end or if there is some turnback. When you make a naginata naoshi you reshape the kissaki and the result is yakitsume generally. If there is not much flare in the head than it can be left as-is.

The result is that you can get some idea of the original size and shape and from there go to the period. I am no pro on these things, but I think some of the books will show you the sugata progressions and you can get an idea of the period from there.

Hello

I think Muromachi last stage era(Ad1550-1600).

For, looks like rust of Nakago is a little old. And Shinogi-suji is going to under mune. And Hamon is notare. There is not notare type hamon at kamakura era. Sugata of naginata is young,The width of monouchi is very wide.

it has a notare midare hamon with lots of fine nie and ji-nie. Lots of activity including nijuba and sunagashi. The boshi has hakkikake. The jigane is a tight itame.

Naginata is a good call, and not all that naoshi. Sounds like it could be Yamato, something along the lines of the Norinaga school.

Thanks everyone! I can confirm the boshi is yakitsume. The hamon is not quite pure notare as it has lots of little choji/gunome on the tops of the notare peaks.

What would the red lacquered mei have been? A honami appraisal? It also has some kanji in red lacquer on the back of the nakago mune.

Peter,

I don't think that it is a Honami Mei. Judging from your picture, most of the lacquer has come off so it is too hard to make a good judgement anyway.

Regards,

Max

Pete has written:

"What would the red lacquered mei have been? A honami appraisal? It also has some kanji in red lacquer on the back of the nakago mune."

Shu meï = red lacquer signature applied by an expert.

How marvelous would it be if every mostly erased Kinpun/shu mei were Hon'ami's one

I couldn't resist this as dkirkpatrick calls it "stout powerful looking blade" (just what I thought when I saw it). It is now my submission to the November Shinsa, it has a few little problems but should do ok I think.

It will be interesting to find out the age/school.

Here are some more pics: