Ônuma Jinzaemon Masashige Tameshi-Mei

[Ray Singer]

I have a sword with tameshi-mei of Ônuma Jinzaemon Masashige in hand (he apparently worked circa Kanbun). Would anyone be able to help with the attached inscription? I am a bit lost after '羽州庄内 _ _ _ 村五十金 (Ushū Shōnai _ _ _ goju Kane _) and a tester of 大沼甚左衛門正重 (Ônuma Jinzaemon Masashige) at the left. There is an unusual mixture, including katakana within the inscription. I apologize for the poor quality of this photo, I will add a better image if possible.

[Ray Singer]

The katakana at the bottom may be コミヲベラフ.

[Ray Singer]

I received the following for the third column:

 

羽州庄内於細谷村五十余ノ者

[Ray Singer]

This was provided to me offline.

羽州庄内於細谷村五十余ノ者ホソコシヲハラフ 

其刃ヲ以テ大立割如夢 

脇毛切手大沼甚右衛門正重

Best regards,
Ray

[Surfson]

Ray, it is a rare sword translation that you can't get, and I imagine Markus, Morita San or one of our NMB members living in Japan are going to have to come to our rescue!

[Ray Singer]

Thank you Bob. Hiroshi Nakamura on Facebook was able to provide about 95% of the overall inscription. Very interesting piece.

[Ray Singer]

I do not recall having seen a tameshi-mei of this type. 

 

In Yamagata's Shonai Hosoya village cut the thin waist of 50 people.

Big standing cut is like a dream on this blade.

Wakimou Kirite Ônuma Jinzaemon Masashige

[Stephen]

one at a time? two stacked? which ever way it was a long day, Great find Ray

[Ray Singer]

Thank you Stephen. 

 

If anyone has a reference example for a tameshi-mei by Jinzaemon Masashige please let me know. I see him listed below circa Kanbun.

 

http://www.jssus.org/nkp/tameshigiri.pdf

http://www.shibuiswords.com/tameshi.htm

[SteveM]

Just thinking out loud:

五十 is literally 50, but it can also be used to mean "a lot" (い、いそ）

夢 looks a bit strange, but close enough and in context, I guess. I'm always slightly suspicious of literal readings ("cutting is like a dream"... sounds like a marketing phrase for a kitchen knife).  

脇毛 Is typically pronounced wakige. In addition to literally meaning underarm hair, it is also a tameshigiri term, however as a tameshigiri phrase it may have its own unique pronunciation. 

 

That's all I got. 

[Ray Singer]

Much appreciate the thoughts on this Steve.

[cisco-san]

hi,

 

not that much...(from Markus Tameshigiri book)...

Ōnuma Jinzaemon Masashige (大沼甚左衛門正重) Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673)
He was a retainer and sword tester of the Aizu fief.

[Ray Singer]

Thank you Klaus. Even though I have Markus' book, I somehow overlooked that entry. Appreciate the info. Coincidently, I did send Markus an oshigata yesterday to keep for his reference library. Such an unusual tameshi-mei may deserve an article at some point.

 

Kind regards,

Ray