Naginata naoshi katana in ww2 mountings

[EdWolf]

Recently, I have added a naginata naoshi katana in military mountings to my collection. I'm excited about it and want to share my excitement withyou guys. I really like the blade shape. The nagasa is 67 cm. The original signature is lost but the signature is painted in gold kanji (Mitsuhiro) on the nakago.  The blade is in a good condition. Not the best quality pictures but the best I could do.

Feel free to comment. 

Kind regards,  Ed

[Michaelr]

Ed, I love it. Looks very nice and very nicely mounted. I like you think this would look very nice in My collection. Thank you for sharing. 
  MikeR

[Stephen]

Great find Ed, the gods are watching over you.

[EdWolf]

@Michaelr, @Stephen  thank you very much for your kind words! 

In reality the blade is much nicer. Taking pictures of a blade is not easy.

Regards, Ed

[ROKUJURO]

Ed,

I am not a blade specialist, so allow me to ask why that is a NAGINATA (or NAGAMAKI) NAOSHI ? To my eyes it looks just like a KATANA/DAITO with a NAGINATA BOHI. Is there no KAERI in the BOSHI ?

Just curious!

[DoTanuki yokai]

Maybe the missing Yokote and the thin Mune after the Bo-Hi I would say make this Naginata Zukuri.

[EdWolf]

@ROKUJURO Jean, that is a good question. I have called it naginata naoshi because it was in the description of the seller. I think it's not a tue naginata naoshi but a naginata naoshi style blade.

At the end of the following page is a description of what I mean.

 

http://www.ksky.ne.j...umie99/naginata.html

 

@DoTanuki yokaiChrisian, hard to tell the difference between naginata zukuri and naginata naoshi style. 

[Franco]

Without clearer images it is not clear what this blade is. 

 

19 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

Is there no KAERI in the BOSHI ?

 

Kantei begins with shape.

It is essential to determine what shape changes, if any, this piece has undergone in order to determine whether or not this is actually a naginata naoshi katana? Is there a turn back in the boshi? Images?

Is the nakago ubu, suriage, or O suriage? 

Further;

Who is this Mitsuhiro supposedly? 

Full dimensions of this blade? 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

 

[EdWolf]

I'll try to take better images of the blade.

 

[vajo]

 

Looks for me like a classy naginata-naoshi katana. I think the yokote is slightly visible.

Very nice blade.

[Bryce]

G'day Ed,

It looks like the mei is actually chiseled rather than just painted? Maybe it is ubu?

Cheers,

Bryce

[EdWolf]

Hello Bryce,

I'll check the signature when home. Need to use a magnifying glass. I have bad eye sight. 

Regards, Ed

[PNSSHOGUN]

The shape & Nakago look Shin-Shinto, need clearer photos of Hamon and Kissaki. Can we also see the rest of the mounts in further detail?

[Shugyosha]

I agree with John. It looks to me like perhaps an unsigned shin shinto blade that someone decided to add a signature to in order to make it look older, though it does look chiselled unlike the usual gold sharpie kinpun mei that is seen on a number of blades at the moment. It does look like a nice blade though, congratulations Ed!

[waljamada]

My favorite kind of blade.  It just creates dimension and class to a blade but still has an imposing aesthetic.  A naginata-hi especially on a katana length blade is just cool imo.  Nice pick up!  I would also agree it looks shin-shinto to me.

[EdWolf]

Thank you all for all the help. I will try to take some good pictures of the blade. Need some daylight. In the meantime some additional pictures of the fittings. 

 

Regards, Ed

[tokashikibob]

Great looking sword,  a fine addition to any collection of Nihonto.

[Volker62]

congrat's Ed

 

nice entry into your collection!

 

rare find a long naginata naoshi in Gunto mount's!

[DoTanuki yokai]

Can you show the other side of the Nakago ? 

Im still not sure if it is shortned or made in this style. 

Maybe you can see if the Hamon stops at the Hamachi or runs into the Nakago ?

[EdWolf]

Hello Christian, 

I'll post better pictures soon. 

Regards, Ed

[EdWolf]

The signature is indeed chiseled and painted gold. Wish my eyes where better.

 

A few more pictures of the blade. Not great pictures but it's the best I can do.

[Franco]

Ed,

 

Thank you for posting these additional images.

 

Is it possible that you could follow up with these numbers? 

Moto-kasane? Saki-kasane? Moto-haba? Saki-haba? 

Additionally, it would be helpful to know what the width of the nakago (kasane) is at its widest point?

Images here would be great, too?

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

[EdWolf]

@Franco D,

 

Moto-haba 3.2 cm

Moto-kasana 0.8 cm

Saki-haba 2.2 cm (measured at about 6 cm from the tip)

Saki-jasana 0.6 cm

Length nakago 19 cm,  width 0.7 cm

 

Regards, Ed

[Jussi Ekholm]

Could it be an old attribution towards Nanbokuchō Kozori smith Mitsuhiro?

[DRDave]

I'd be excited about that one, too; nice find.  Congrats, Ed!

[EdWolf]

@Jussi Ekholm

Do you mean the following smith?

All the other Mitsuhiro smith I could find are written like 光廣 and not as 光弘.

[Jussi Ekholm]

Hello! Yes I mean that smith. Unfortunately his work seems to be super rare. So far in all my years tracking down old items I think I have only came to see 3 items signed by this smith. Here is attached the only one of those that I have picture other than the signature so some working style can be seen. While being so rare and would be a very uncommon attribution it is probably the only Mitsuhiro (光弘) smith I can think of.

 

[EdWolf]

Jussi, thank you very much for responding and sharing your knowledge. It's highly appreciated. 

Regards, Ed

[Franco]

Jussi, your research is always much appreciated and revealing. 

 

Has it been determined how old this sword is?

Has it been decided if this sword is naoshi or not?

 

On 3/5/2024 at 3:03 PM, EdWolf said:

Moto-haba 3.2 cm

Moto-kasana 0.8 cm

Saki-haba 2.2 cm (measured at about 6 cm from the tip)

Saki-jasana 0.6 cm

Length nakago 19 cm,  width 0.7 cm

 

These measurements raise questions about this being a nambokucho period sword. 

Is it live or is it memorex?

 

Regards,

[EdWolf]

The measurements are right.