Hope all is well wherever this message may find you. Something different and trust it may be of interest. This is a Yari (or Japanese spear) from somewhere around 1661 AD - 1673 AD. It is a three-sided Yari, signed by Izumi No Kami Sadashige; of the Echizen, Shimosaka School, best I can figure. Not a very common smith and of particular interest, relative to the scarcity.

This design was intended to pierce and/or maneuver between armor. Many different designs and lengths, but this would most likely have been for a samurai and a hand-held CQB item.

I am not an expert commentator, but know more then most, should you have any questions.

Attached Images

	IMG_3018.jpg (81.5 KB, 131 views)
	IMG_3017.jpg (81.6 KB, 115 views)
	IMG_3016.jpg (105.2 KB, 118 views)

__________________
Rather be outdoors

How long of shaft would that be mounted on? Rather than feet or meters, was the length in "body lengths", "arm lengths" or something like "spans"?

Question number two: Was this strictly an infantry weapon, or did these get used as lances also?
Thanks

Ivan

I had a couple Japanese friends that all their families had after the war was the shafts of the family spears. I think they were red oak.

Hi Ivan, I'll try to condense as much as possible.

The length of pole would vary depending on the type of spear and the intended usage. For instance, it could be 3' to 20' in length. Samurai would use these with a smaller shaft in CQB to get between armor; and they were used both for standing armies (attacking) and defending (using a longer pole). They were also used on horseback.

When the Mongols tried to invade Japan towards the late 1200's, the Japanese were met with standing armies with soldiers armed with spears in tight formations. This was unlike 'traditional' warfare in Japan up until that point when warfare was mostly among the samurai class and on horseback. The spear was slowly implemented in various roles and for defenses.

It wasn't until the civil war period in Japan (mid-1500's) that they became widely adopted. This was due to a major shift where instead of just the samurai class fighting, the local daimyo (Lord or King) of the area realized that if he armed the merchant class, farmers, etc., they would have a substantial army and outnumber their neighbors...this catapulted an arms race where many, many, swords and other weapons were forged and handed out basically to their serfs, farmers, etc.

Enclosed is a picture of a general and his yari from a woodblock print (image is free to use, not copyrighted).

Attached Images

752px-Estampe-p1000685.jpg (81.7 KB, 28 views)

__________________
Rather be outdoors

It sure looks clean. With Japanese swords, the tang (nakago) is not supposed to be cleaned. Is it different with spear heads?

__________________
My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

^^^I just oiled it (choji oil) and photo before putting it away. There are many different opinions. It is in very good condition and has not been chemically altered to make this area appear clean (a very small number of less honest people may do this).

My take is if its metal, it gets a super-fine coating of choji oil.

__________________
Rather be outdoors