Lot Essay
The hamon is rather quiet and restrained in comparison to many of the Ichimonji pieces. This is one of the earliest surviving naginata. The Heike Monogatari records that many were used in the conflicts of the 12th century but no early examples have survived. They were considered disposable, according to one theory. The earliest surviving pieces of quality are from the late 13th century. Most high quality naginata were produced by the Yoshioka Ichimonji school and by some of the Osafune Bizen smiths such as Nagamistu.
This naginata has an excellent balance and lightness of movement because the tang has not been shortened.
The Ichimonji smiths were divided into four groups: Fukuoka, Yoshioka, Sochu and Katayama. The Kamakura smiths were a Fukuoka subgroup and are generally referred to as the Soshu Kamakura Ichimonji School, founded by Sukezane. Because of the lack of notable swordsmiths in Kamakura in the mid-13th century, the bakufu ordered Sukezane, Goro Kunimune of Bizen and Awataguchi Kunitsuna of Kyoto to move to Kamakura, together with their entire ateliers of swordsmiths.
The Fukuoka were the oldest and most prolific of the Ichimonji smiths and the earliest Fukuoka group was the Ko-Ichimonji School comprising Norimune, his son Sukemune and Narimune. Among the Fukuoka smiths were Norimune, Muneyoshi (his son-in-law), Sukemune (his son), Sukeyuki (his cousin), Yukikuni (Sukeyuki's son), Kanemichi, Sukezane, Yoshimoto, Yoshihira, Munetada, Yoshimochi, Sukefusa, Nobumasa, Sukenori, Sukenari, Kanemichi, Sanefusa, Yoshifusa, Tomosuke, Munetaka and Kanesuke. The Yoshioka School was founded by Sukemitsu and the Sochu School included Yoshiuji, Yoshitoshi, Yoshimori, Yoshisada and Yoshihisa. The Katayama School, founded by Fukuoka Norifusa (c. 1230), settled in neighboring Bitchu.
Almost all of the smiths signed with a simple Ichi, but there are variations in the way the single-stroke character was written. The Fukuoka character is slender with pronounced accentuation at the beginning and end. The Yoshioka character is very similar, but with less pronounced accentuation. The Sochu and Katayama characters exhibit no accentuation at the ends; the Sochu character was a moderate length stroke of even width and the Katayama was of even width, but short and thick.
This naginata has an excellent balance and lightness of movement because the tang has not been shortened.
The Ichimonji smiths were divided into four groups: Fukuoka, Yoshioka, Sochu and Katayama. The Kamakura smiths were a Fukuoka subgroup and are generally referred to as the Soshu Kamakura Ichimonji School, founded by Sukezane. Because of the lack of notable swordsmiths in Kamakura in the mid-13th century, the bakufu ordered Sukezane, Goro Kunimune of Bizen and Awataguchi Kunitsuna of Kyoto to move to Kamakura, together with their entire ateliers of swordsmiths.
The Fukuoka were the oldest and most prolific of the Ichimonji smiths and the earliest Fukuoka group was the Ko-Ichimonji School comprising Norimune, his son Sukemune and Narimune. Among the Fukuoka smiths were Norimune, Muneyoshi (his son-in-law), Sukemune (his son), Sukeyuki (his cousin), Yukikuni (Sukeyuki's son), Kanemichi, Sukezane, Yoshimoto, Yoshihira, Munetada, Yoshimochi, Sukefusa, Nobumasa, Sukenori, Sukenari, Kanemichi, Sanefusa, Yoshifusa, Tomosuke, Munetaka and Kanesuke. The Yoshioka School was founded by Sukemitsu and the Sochu School included Yoshiuji, Yoshitoshi, Yoshimori, Yoshisada and Yoshihisa. The Katayama School, founded by Fukuoka Norifusa (c. 1230), settled in neighboring Bitchu.
Almost all of the smiths signed with a simple Ichi, but there are variations in the way the single-stroke character was written. The Fukuoka character is slender with pronounced accentuation at the beginning and end. The Yoshioka character is very similar, but with less pronounced accentuation. The Sochu and Katayama characters exhibit no accentuation at the ends; the Sochu character was a moderate length stroke of even width and the Katayama was of even width, but short and thick.