Naginata from the Edo period

Signed on the shank (nakago) of an Edo period naginata. The blade has traces of repaired damage from the use of this weapon in battle. The blade has a few small kizu delaminations and minor signs of corrosion. It is a kanmuri-otoshi style forged blade (the so-called "crane neck," i.e. a blade with a constriction in the middle part), typical of such weapons. The blade has a clearly visible wavy gunome-type hamon and a short but deep bohi groove. The frame (koshirae) also dates from the same era and is made in a simple combat style. The simple oval-shaped spar is made of Japanese red oak, covered with a mixture of lacquer and brown lacquer. The fittings (both rims and ishizuki) are made of copper and have heart-shaped cutouts typical of Japanese spar weapons (other than that, they lack any other type of decoration). The iron tsuba, covered with black lacquer, has the rachitic form of a small chrysanthemum. Habakas and seppa pads of brass without decoration. Scabbard (saya) of magnolia wood covered with black tarnished and oxidized lacquer, with decorative mon of the Ashikaga Family.
Dating: Edo period - 19th century
Blade length: 40 cm
Spar length : 230 cm
Overall length : 232.5 cm