Mei translation

[hindsite]

Hello all,

I am new to the world of Nihonto. I received this blade from my grandfather and I have no idea what the mei says. I have tried to translate it, and have spent many hours VERY frustrated. I even drafted a friend of mine who grew up in Japan to help and she couldn't read it. Any help you guys could provide would be most beneficial as this blade does have tarnish/rust from fingerprints, and I want to get it professionally polished. Im not going to do that though until I know what I have.

[John A Stuart]

It looks like a sword by Masashige. John

[Markus]

 

奥州白川家臣手柄山正繁

Ôshû Shirakawa-kashin Tegarayama Masashige

"Tegarayama Masashige, retainer of the Shirakawa [family] of Ôshû [the northern province of Mutsu]"

 

[John A Stuart]

From the JSSUS database.

 

Shinshinto, Musashi no kuni (Kansei:1789)

Juyo, Jo-jo saku

MAS922 (70pts) TT: ¥5.5M

same as Tomohichi TOM452, Asahichi ASA2, S330

1.oshu shirakawashin tegarayama masashige

2.kai kami masashige

3.tegarayama kai kami masashige nyudo tankasai

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

Hindsite,

 

Can you post a picture of the whole nakago please? I would like to see the nakago-jiri (extremity).

[hindsite]

2 things

1. here is the nakago-jiri requested

2. what does John Stuart's post mean, and where do I go from here to learn about my blade?

[John A Stuart]

I will answer with a break down of what it means.

1) Shinshinto-swords made after 1781 until 1876; Musashi no Kuni-the province in which the swordsmith lived; (Kansei:1789)-the date around which the smith was most active

2) Juyo-some sword/s have reached a high level of craftmanship, Jojo-saku-a rating of smith's ability

3)MAS922-ID# for reference; 70 pts-arbitrary point system by Hawley, the higher the better 70 is fairly high; TT-Toko Taikan-a reference book; Y5.5M-a monetary average value of this smiths work, think of it as a number to compare with other smiths and not a real money value

4)same as Tomohichi TOM452, Asahichi ASA2, S330-other names the smith used

5) signatures one may find of this smith

 

John

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

I'm pretty sure this blade is gimei.