Whoops! I now own a naginata

[msdt]

As there have been hardly any fairs in England this year, and I nearly always get my artefacts that way, I recently put in a couple of bids for an auction - and, now own a naginata!!!
Know nothing about them really, just thought that there can't be many in the UK. I like to handle things, so for me it's a bit risky bidding based on photos.
It was listed as late Edo, which I assume is right. Blade is 12 1/2 inches (the actual blade with a cutting edge), total length 88 inches (224 cm). Seem to be some old marks for matching the blade to the shaft.
Does anyone have any knowledge about these?
Cheers,
Tony

[Brian]

More pics of the blade itself?
Not sure what to make of it. The pole looks real and good. The naginata is very rough with some unusual stylistic shaping. We don't see that taper on the mune that is usually seen?
But if I had to guess, I'd say a rough naginata that has a shortened nakago. But not 100% sure.

[Geraint]

Welcome Tony!

 

Congratulations, nice thing to have.  As Brian says it does not appear to be top of the range but it is mounted.  Might be missing  a tsuba.  This would look good as part of a display.  My feeling is that it is probably a late Edo piece made for parade purposes.

 

All the best.

[Jean]

Hi Tony,

 

you have a polearm of which the tang has been roughly shortened. The tang should at least march in length the cutting edge.

 

https://www.aoijapan.com/nagianata-noritsune-owari-shinto/

 

the koshirae is simple and of’good taste. It should be a fine display artifact.

 

[msdt]

Thanks everyone. Have attached some more (not very good) pics of the blade. To me the blade looks a bit crude, it has clearly had a wire wool job to remove surface rust at some recent time. Re the nakago, it seems a match for the shaft, the wood seems to be cut for a reasonable fit, and the hole in the shaft seems to be original and matches.

If it is essentially for parades in the late Edo period would more effort go into the shaft rather than the blade?

What does koshirae refer to in this case?

Cheers,

Tony

[Geraint]

Dear Tony.

 

Koshirae is the term that refers to the mounts of a sword, or in this case a naginata.  Because Japanese swords are essentially held together by a simple bamboo peg it is relatively easy to remove the blade from it's mounts.  For most collectors the ideal is th have the blade mounted in shirasaya, plain wood mounts to protect it, and the koshirae mounted on a tsunagi, plain wood replica of the blade.

 

In this case koshirae refers to the pole for your naginata.  As Jean suggests most functional naginata have a tang as long as the blade to secure them in the shaft.  The short nakago and the fact that it fits well in the koshirae is what lead me to suggest a parade piece.  It may also have been made at the end of the 19th century specifically for export to European collectors.  

 

All the best.

[RichardP]

Saw the title, saw Brittany Spears in a kabuto...

[msdt]

Hi Geraint, 

Thanks for the very clear explanation of the meaning of koshirae.

As there appear to be 2 different sets of assembly markings, it implies that the naginata was one of a set, so your suggestion of a parade piece would fit with that.

Cheers,

Tony