Naginata on eBay - opinion please...

[Walter]

I'm trying to get my very first Nihonto piece.

Browsing eBay I found this naginata and would like to ask for the experts opinion:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160216056351&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006

 

Thank you in advance,

Walter

[drbvac]

Walter: I have this marked "watching" and it looks pretty good to me and the price with the mounts is pretty reasonable

[Guest Nanshoku-Samurai]

Looks like an okay piece to me. Can't comment on the signature though. If it gets out of Japan without papers consider it as Gimei. However a Naginata in decent polish is not a bad deal at the asking price.

[Yoshii]

Hi,

I also have this piece on tracking.

The smith concerned is rated as chu saku.

As far as I can come to a conclusion it is in my eyes a sho shin mei.

Who would fake a signature of a chu saku smith?

By the way I did pay $ 2.500 for a fully signed and Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho papered Naginata from a jo saku smith of the 17th century.

Greetings Jos

[drbvac]

Probably gimei as stated BUT still not a bad looking blade with all the mounts!

[Grey Doffin]

Who would fake a signature of a chu saku smith?

Actually, there are quite a few fakes of lesser known smiths. If you make a fake of a famous smith you have to be pretty talented to fool the unsuspecting; a fake of a lesser artist is easier to produce. There are many references for the famous smiths; easy for the buyer to check the work. With chu-saku and lower smiths there aren't as many oshigata for comparison.

I've seen a few Gunto (WWII era swords) that have had their nakagos patinated and signed with the signature of a nearly unknown earlier smith, a total nobody. Impossible to check those signatures against oshigata

In other words, you still have to study. There are no short cuts.

Grey

[Walter]

Whoever has outbid me - CONGRATS!

[drbvac]

Walter -- Wasn't I !

 

Good luck on the next one !

[Walter]

Walter -- Wasn't I !

Good luck on the next one !

Just kidding :D I would bid more if I wasn't in the middle of the deal for two katana.