Page Last Updated: Tuesday, 03 November 2015 11:45 EDT, © 2010, 2013, 2014

Col Hartley's Collection

Gallery 1: Japanese Edged Weapons, Pole Arms and Other

 

 

 

Type YARI
Smith MASANAO
Papers  
Body Test  
Other  
Sugata (shape, form) TAMPO
Mei (signature) IWAMI no KAMI FUJIWARA MASANAO
Date NONE
Nagasa (blade length) 18.41cm (7.25")
Overall length 54.61cm (21.5")
Mihaba (blade body width) 2.22cm (0.875")
Kasane (blade thickness) 1.27cm (0.5")
Sori (curvature) 0cm (0")
Nakago shortening UBU
Mekugi Ana (nakago holes) ONE
Yasurime (nakago file marks)  
Mune (blade back)  
Hada (skin texture) MASAME
Hamon (temper) SUGUHA
Boshi (point temper)  
Horimono Omote (front carving) NONE
Horimono Ura (back carving) NONE
Habaki (collar)  
Saya (scabard) SHIRASAYA
Saya notes  
General notes (Photo by Ed Marshall, click below for more photos)  


Yari, Masanao

 

Type KEN
Smith MINO SENJUIN
Papers  
Body Test  
Other  
Sugata (shape, form) KEN
Mei (signature) MUMEI, ATTRIBUTED TO MINO SENJUIN
Date NONE
Nagasa (blade length) 33.125cm (13.25")
Overall length 45cm (18")
Mihaba (blade body width) 2.81cm
Kasane (blade thickness) 0.78cm
Sori (curvature) 0cm
Nakago shortening UBU
Mekugi Ana (nakago holes) TWO
Yasurime (nakago file marks) NONE
Mune (blade back)  
Hada (skin texture) KO-MOKUME
Hamon (temper) CHU-SUGUBA
Boshi (point temper)  
Horimono Omote (front carving)  
Horimono Ura (back carving)  
Habaki (collar) ONE PIECE GOLD FOIL
Saya (scabard) SHIRASAYA
Saya notes  
General notes (Photo by Ed Marshall, click below for more photos) The original Senjuin school was located in Yamato Province.  Yamato-den is the oldest of the Five Gokaden, and said to be the birthplace of the Japanese Sword.   The Senjuin school is also noted for being the oldest of the five main Yamato-den. The Mino-den or tradition is the youngest of the Gokaden with a short history compared to the other four traditions. While there exists documentation of it's beginning in the Hogan era (1156-1159), the oldest extant works are by Kaneuji and Kinju the late Kamakura period (1186-1333). The Mino-den reached it's zenith of production in the late Muomachi Period (1392-1573). This was directly related to the Sengoku or warring period. Many blades were needed for the Battlefield and the numbers produced by the schools of the Mino-den were only exceeded by the schools of the Bizen-den. Mino swords as a whole were not necessarily prized for their artist merit, but were sought after and highly prized as durable, reliant, and extremely sharp swords. The two most famous Mino smith's were Magoroku Kanemoto and Izumi no Kami Kanesada. Through these two smith's the Mino-den achieved perfection and became the dominant school of sword forging. They remained in a dominant position through the Momoyama period (1596-1644). The Mino Senjuin school, later known as the Akasaka Senjuin school was founded by Kuninaga Senjuin, c. 1381.  There were two successive Kuninaga generations which followed, as well as a number of other smith's.  A great number of swords were forged by this school, with swords by Mino Jumyo being the most numerous. The Mino Seki schools still exist today.
Ken or Tsurugi is a double edged blade which were used as Buddhist esoteric implement's opposed to weapons. They were generally given as a gift to a temple or for the spiritual protection of the home. This is a very large Ken attributed to Mino Senjuin School. This Ken may not have been made as a weapon, but the sheer size and weight of it would indicate that it is quite capable of more than only spiritual protection. This Ken exhibits typical Yamato traits such as Ko-Mokume hada and Chu-suguba hamon. It is in very good polish, with a few light surface scratches under the habaki. These scratches can not be seen when the habaki is in place and pose no detrimental effects to the aesthetic value of this beautiful piece. 
This Ken was once accompanied by papers from the NBTHK which attributed it to the Mino Senjuin School,  sadly they have been lost.


Ken, Mino Senjuin

 

Type NAGINATA NAOSHI
Smith  
Papers  
Body Test  
Other  
Sugata (shape, form) NAGINATA
Mei (signature)  
Date  
Nagasa (blade length)  
Overall length  
Mihaba (blade body width)  
Kasane (blade thickness)  
Sori (curvature)  
Nakago shortening  
Mekugi Ana (nakago holes)  
Yasurime (nakago file marks)  
Mune (blade back)  
Hada (skin texture)  
Hamon (temper)  
Boshi (point temper)  
Horimono Omote (front carving)  
Horimono Ura (back carving)  
Habaki (collar)  
Saya (scabard) SHIRASAYA
Saya notes  
General notes  


Naginata Naoshi

 

Type KIKUCHI YARI
Smith BISHU JU FUJIWARA ASON (remainder cut off)
Papers  
Body Test  
Other TANTO MOUNTS
Sugata (shape, form) KIKUCHI YARI
Mei (signature) BISHU JU FUJIWARA ASON (remainder cut off)
Date NONE
Nagasa (blade length) 18.41cm (7.25")
Overall length 29.84cm (11.75")
Mihaba (blade body width) 2.06cm (0.8125")
Kasane (blade thickness) 0.63cm (0.25")
Sori (curvature) SAKAZORI
Nakago shortening O-SURIAGE
Mekugi Ana (nakago holes) ONE
Yasurime (nakago file marks) NONE
Mune (blade back) KIKUCHI
Hada (skin texture) MASAME WITH ITAME
Hamon (temper) KO-GUNOME
Boshi (point temper) KO_MARU
Horimono Omote (front carving) NONE
Horimono Ura (back carving) NONE
Habaki (collar) 1 PC GOLD FOIL
Saya (scabard) KOSHIRAE
Saya notes The koshirae is complete with the exclusion of a kozuka. The saya is in great condition for it's age with only minor erosion around the horn fittings. The string wrap on the handle is just gorgeous and really makes the koshirae nice.
General notes (Photo by Ed Marshall, click below for more photos) Rare Kikuchi Yari signed Bishu Ju Fujiwara Ason (remainder cut off). The blade is in overall good condition with some wear, surface oxidation, and surface scratches.  


Yari, Kikuchi

 


Yari, with shortened pole

Iyo no Ju Munetsugu (Hizen) Sampaku Yari.  Genuine, per Dr. Sato & Dr. Homma.
Only yari by this man either has ever seen. Polished.

Naginata

Naginata

 


Left: Su-Yari, Right: Ju-Mon-Ji Yari

Left: Naginata, Right: Sode-Garami (sleeve tangler, for police)

 


Jitte (sword breaker or catcher)

 


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Website created by Dean S. Hartley III.