A rare samurai weapon.

[estcrh]

Here some detailed images of an authentic antique kanabo, one of two kanabo with detailed images that I know of. Authentic kanabo images are extremely rare, most available images are modern reproductions, there are a few period woodblock prints showing kanabo. There are a few additional kanabo images that may be authentic but they cant be authenticated.

This particular kanabo is 164.6cm/5ft 4in and 2.2kg/4.85lb. There is some writing carved into it which the owner says dates it to 1863. It has a wood shaft with the upper end covered with black lacquered iron strips with iron knobs, the wood areas are lacquered green.

I have included a few prints and a photograph showing kanabo.
The first image is an Edo period woodblock print showing a samurai wearing a chain armor jacket (kusari katabira) and wielding a kanabo.

The second image is an Edo period woodblock showing a kanabo being wielded by a samurai on horseback.

The last image is a photographic recreation showing a samurai holding a kanabo, from the book titled:MILITARY COSTUMES IN OLD JAPAN by KAZUMASA OGAWA, 1893. The title of the picture is "Knight of the Nanhoku-cho period".