Made a small extenion that analyse the page you're on and (try) to give you more information. If anyone is interested let me know and i send the instructions over.
you do need an openAI API (small fee)
it's gpt so hallucinations can be included
Not sure because +30yr ago there wasn't much available on the Chinese market and they definitely couldn't make such a nicely shaped tsuka and uniform diamonds/maki as on this piece. Most still can't today
Thxs for the confirmation Geraint. Seems like it's better to feed GPT piece by piece and not a whole page. Let's see if we can solve the habaki mystery as well
GPT is translating this as a bayonet (銃剣?) sword but how exactely is that being mounted on a rifle if that's true?
And did somebody photoshopped this habaki or are we looking at a real one :)?
I would need to lookup the conversation again but as far as i can recall they were asuming this was made during the Shōwa period and sheep were already imported by that time > https://www.oldtokyo.com/sheep-grazing-in-the-shadow-of-ezo-fuji-hokkaido-c-1930/
What you can do to get a rough idea is install ChatGPT app on your phone, make a pic and ask to translate? They're usually ok with general descriptions. Names not so much