A Japanese naginata with curved single-edged deep part-fullered blade, blade length 55cm, the long tang signed to one face, mounted on a wooden shaft, decorated throughout with upper grip sections banded in alternating mother-of-pearl and black lacquer with shaped copper metal collars, decorated with foliate designs, the lower shaft section decorated with crushed mother-of-pearl and black lacquer, overall length 256cm (lacking hirumaki). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from Austins, Peckham, early 1960s, for £2 10s. Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Sukenaga, Shikkake school, probably first half 15th century, but noted that there were eighteen smiths with this name at various periods.