Single-Owner Collections

A fine and elegant Japanese naginata, Edo period, with single-edged blade, blade length 37.5cm, with deep-grooved fuller, picked out with red lacquer, and curved part-length shinogi with finely executed cut and chiselled ryu (dragon) clawing his way along the face of the blade, the opposing side with tama jewel, the signed tang with single hole piercing and fine brass habaki with engraved mon of the Maida clan, mounted on a fine three-section lacquered shaft with fine wide-section copper metal mounts with embossed decoration of interspaced gilt flowerheads, the grip section with crushed abalone shell and cord-bound collar and further interspaced black painted flowerhead mon along the shaft, the steel hirumaki terminal of crescent form, overall length 218cm, the blade with wood and lacquer flowerhead-decorated scabbard. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from John Harding, 21st June 1962, for £4. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, page 120 , plate 9. Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Kuniyoshi, late 17th century.

A fine Japanese naginata, Edo period, with curved single-edged deep-grooved fullered blade, blade length 38cm, picked out with red lacquer, the long tang with double hole piercings, signed to one side, and shaped lacquered wood tsuba, mounted on an oak shaft, the upper grip sections decorated with crushed mother-of-pearl and black lacquer, with shaped copper collars and hirumaki terminal, overall length 208.5cm, the blade with textured-finish lacquered wood board scabbard. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from Edwin Savage, September 1962. Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Tamba No kami ‘Yoshimighi’, probably 18th century, and noted that this was a woman’s naginata, probably circa 1750.

A Japanese naginata with curved single-edged deep part-fullered blade, blade length 53cm, mounted on a black lacquer-finished shaft, the upper grip sections decorated with crushed mother-of-pearl and divided by white metal shaped collar spacers with foliate decoration, with shaped steel hirumaki terminal, overall length 248cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: we have been unable to remove the blade from the shaft to confirm the tang is signed, but Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Toshi, Muromachi period, probably 15th century.

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.

A fine Japanese magari-yari, Edo period, with stylistic trident-form head, head length 21.5cm, the long signed tang with single hole piercing, mounted on an oak shaft, the upper grip sections with lacquered and gilt rattan decoration and copper collar fittings, with steel hirumaki terminal, overall length 229cm, the head with black lacquered textured finish saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection 1959, purchased for £2 10s. Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Heianjo Fujiwara No Morikuni, probably Morikuni II of Osaka, pupil of Hirokane, circa 1685, and noted ‘a beautiful weapon with fine large section blade’.

A Japanese magari-yari with stylistic T-shaped head, early Edo period, head length 20cm, the long signed tang with double hole piercings, mounted on an oak shaft, the upper grip section of corrugated red lacquer with rattan collar bindings, overall length 245cm (lacking hirumaki). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased Torquay via Portobello Road, June 1961, for £3 10s. Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Bushu Shitahara No Ju Yasusige, circa 1625-50.

A very fine Japanese magari-yari, late Edo period, with stylistic trident-form head, head length 18cm, the fine long tang with double hole piercings and signed to both faces, mounted on a pear-section light oak shaft, the upper grip section of corrugated black lacquer and gilt rattan with copper metal collars and hirumaki terminal, overall length 278cm, the blade with black lacquer saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from Wallis & Wallis (Fairclough), January 1961, for £4. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, pages 138 & 148, plates 18 & 23. Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Bakufu-Shi Kawai Hisayuki (aged 78) Saku, and the date as ‘Bunkyu 3rd year 1st month’ February/March 1863, and noted ‘mint condition, a fine handsome spear’. Hisayuki was a swordsmith of the last shogun’s government in 1863.

A fine Japanese inoshishi-no-yari, Edo period, with fine deep-section openwork leaf-shaped blade, blade length 20cm, with remnants of red lacquer decoration to the internal pierced faces, the long unsigned tang with single hole piercing, mounted on an associated oak shaft, the upper grip sections lacquer-finished to imitate fishskin, with plain copper metal collars and steel hirumaki terminal, overall length 205cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, page 184, plate 41. Roald Knutsen noted that this was probably a hunting spear for wild boar. H. Russell Robinson’s opinion was that it was 17th century.

A fine Japanese su-yari with long triangular-section blade, Edo period, blade length 46cm, the deep-fullered face highlighted with red lacquer decoration, the long tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, mounted on a long red lacquer shaft with corrugated finish, the upper grip section picked out with gilt painted decoration, with rattan and copper metal bindings and steel hirumaki terminal, overall length 290cm, the blade with red lacquer saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from Wallis & Wallis, December 1959, for £2. Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Kanezaki and noted twenty-three smiths of this name recorded and that Mr B.W. Robinson said this piece dates to the last part of the 17th or first part of the 18th century, probably made by the fifth generation of Kanezaki.

A fine Japanese su-yari, possibly late Muromachi/Azuchi–Momoyama period, with triangular-section blade, blade length 65cm, the long tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, mounted on an oak shaft with upper grip sections, decorated with crushed mother-of-pearl and lacquer, with gilt decorated rattan and copper metal bindings, overall length 221cm, the blade with textured-finish red lacquer saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from J. Gibb, Edinburgh, 21st April 1962. Note: Roald Knutsen noted that Mr Gibb had a second similar example, almost identical, and dated them to be around the first half of the 16th century.

A Japanese hira-sankaku-yari, Edo period, with triangular-section blade with deep-fullered groove, blade length 18cm, the tang signed to two faces, mounted on an oak shaft, the black lacquered upper grip section with rattan and copper bindings and mounted with an iron hadome with facet decoration and plain hirumaki terminal, overall length 207cm, the blade with shaped flared-form red lacquer-finished saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from Evan Perry, Brighton, 28/1/1961, for £1. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, pages 164 and 200, plates 31a and 49 centre. Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Harima No Daijo Fujiwara No Shigetaka and Echizen No Ju, and noted that this name was used in common by three swordsmiths of Echizen province between 1625 and 1700.

A Japanese su-yari, Edo period, with long leaf-section blade, blade length 56cm, finely signed to two faces, the long tang with single hole piercing and finely signed to two faces, mounted on an oak shaft, the upper grip sections of deep lacquered textured form, with fine textured-finish copper and part-gilt-finished collars, the upper fuchi with household mon, the shaft also mounted with iron hadome and hirumaki terminal, overall length 259cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased Portobello 1959 for £1 6s. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, page 208, plate 53. Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Suishinshi Naotani and noted that the tang was inscribed ‘Shoji Chikuzen No Daijo Fuji 9 ( Wara) (No) Naotane Saku’ (A Day in the Month 2nd of Tempo 14 1843), and that he was an important smith of the early 19th century.

A Japanese hoko, Edo period, with fine L-form blade, blade length 17.5cm, the long tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, mounted on an oak shaft, the upper grip section of corrugated black lacquer with copper and rattan bindings, the fuchi fitting with household mon, and iron hirumaki terminal, overall length 251cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection 1959, purchased for £2. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, page 156, plate 27. Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Kunimasa, probably 17th/18th century, but noted that there were twenty-four recorded smiths with this name.

A Japanese hoko, Edo period, with fine crow-bill-form head, blade length 22cm, the unsigned tang with double hole piercings, mounted on a probably associated golden oak shaft, the upper section with corrugated black lacquer grip, shaped decorated copper mounts and gilt decorated rattan binding, with lacquered steel hirumaki terminal, overall length 162cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from D.J.K. Wright, 22nd April 1962, for £10 10s. Note: Roald Knutsen noted that B.W. Robinson’s opinion was that this was very likely 17th century judging by the tang form, and that the shaft has almost naginata style mounts and the shaft has a distinct double curve. A similar weapon appears in the Metropolitan Museum of New York.

A Japanese ryo-shinogi-yari, Edo period, with slender waisted four-sided blade, blade length 15.5cm, the deep central fuller detailed in red lacquer, the long tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, mounted on a fine dark oak shaft, the upper grip sections of textured red lacquer with gilt copper alloy collar mounts and red lacquer-finished rattan binding, overall length 221.5cm (lacking hirumaki), the blade with black lacquered textured-finish saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased Canterbury, August 1961, for £2. Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, page 170, plate 34. Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Idzumo No Kami Fuji-Wara-No Yoshitake, third son of Kunitsugu III of Echizen, Horikawa school, Kyoto, and noted that this smith worked chiefly at Yedo around 1685-1705.

A Japanese hira-sankaku–yari, late Edo period, with triangular-section head with fuller to one face, head length 12.5cm, mounted on a red oak shaft with black lacquered features, the upper grip section with corrugated lacquer finish and copper mounts, overall length 186cm, the blade with black lacquer textured-finish saya. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased from J. Self, Colchester, early 1960s, for £2 4s. Note: Roald Knutsen noted that the blade was difficult to extract, but that it was signed Bakufu-Shi Hawai Hisayuki, aged 75, and dated 1860. We have been unable to remove the head from the shaft.

A Japanese hira sankaku-yari, probably 16th century, with three-sided pyramid-shaped head, head length 10.5cm, each side with single fuller and picked out with red lacquer detailing, the tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, mounted on an oak shaft of faced round form, the upper grip sections finished in simulated fishskin with copper collar and wire bindings and cast bronze hirumaki terminal, overall length 238.5cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: illustrated in ‘Japanese Polearms’ by Roald M. Knutsen, The Holland Press, London: 1963, page 168, plate 33. Roald Knutsen noted that the signature was indistinct but his attempted decipher was Michinobu Kagehisa, probably 16th century.

A Japanese oni-no-yari or ‘demon spear’, Edo period, with long slender blade, blade length 54.5cm, the long tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, mounted on an oak shaft, the upper grip of black lacquer with plain copper ring mounts, overall length 230cm (lacking hirumaki). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); purchased Wallis & Wallis, January 1961, for £3. Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Shigehide and noted that there were four swordsmiths known by this name, most working throughout the 19th century. He also noted that the shaft has a feature with the copper rings suggesting probably used on horseback.

A Japanese ‘straight’ naginata blade, Edo period, with slightly curved single-edged blade with deep horimono, blade length 55.5cm, the long tang with single hole piercing and signed to one face, overall length 117cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: Roald Knutsen identified the signature as Masa-Yoshi and noted that this blade may date from the 17th century.