WW2 Japanese Army Officer's Shin Gunto With 14C/15C Blade, Sold

In full polish (polished by a fully trained second generation polisher in Japan contracted by renowned expert Paul Martin of the Japanese Sword), an Oei era (July 1394 through April 1428) Bizen Naginata-Naoshi Katana blade with WW2 Shin Gunto mounts (with silver mon) & ShiraSaya storage mounts.

The mei is badly corroded, but the expert opinion is Oei era Bizen for sure, but there is some debate on the smith. The majority believe it to be Bishu Osafune Ju Yoshikage, son-in-law of the legendary Chogi; Yoshikage was quite a prolific maker of such blades. Another expert believes it could be Bishu Osafune Kiyomitsu. The blade is in shirasaya mounts for storage / protection.

This Naginata-Naoshi came to us in special WW2 shin gunto mounts and we paid for it to go to Japan for the best polish possible. The blade is a Naginata-Naoshi (pole arm) converted for use as a katana blade. As a Naginata-Naoshi, like many (though not all others), it has a bo utsuri requenshing decoration line at the Mune-Machi (notch on the top of the blade). We have retained the shin gunto mounts for you, but the polisher recommends not to use them in case they abrase the blade.

A Naginta is a Samurai class bladed pole weapon (a glaive). A Naginata-Naoshi is where the blade has instead been adapted and mounted into a katana. This Shin Gunto mounted Naginata-Naoshi would have been for an important officer with Samurai ancestry.

The 26 13/16 inch cutting edge (Nagasa) blade is exceptional, with only a few of the tiniest forging flaws. The shin gunto mounts, specially made for this monster of a blade, has a mon type silver disc to the kabuto-gane (pommel) which reads "Nakano"; this may either be the name of the officer or the Imperial Japanese Army's Elite Intelligence School.

An exceptional WW2 Shin Gunto with guaranteed Oei era Bizen Naginata-Naoshi Katana blade for only £? (too late, now sold).

Please quote item reference N83 (0111). Further / full sized images upon request.