Is this a mei?

[Stever]

...and if so, can someone translate it for me? I have a hard enough time with regular kanji, let alone sosho. Thanks.

[Stever]

I guess what I should say is, I'm pretty sure this is a mei, can someone help me with it? Is this a common way of signing fuchi? I've only ever seen the chiseled mei before. How is it done, is it just black lacquer?

 

Thanks

[Guest Simon Rowson]

Hi Steve,

 

I've only ever seen chiselled mei on fittings before.

 

I think this may simply be some kind of tsuka makers/assemblers mark.

 

Presumably, the expert craftsmen of antiquity would have been working on dozens of swords at any one time. Therefore, they would need to make sure fittings didn't get mixed up or put on the wrong tsuka and a quick scribble in black lacquer would work as well as anything.

(In fact I've owned several kashira and kojiri that had scratched assembler's marks inside)

 

Anyhow, just a guess and I'll probably now find out that one of the great fittings masters only signed in black urushi!

 

Simon

[Stever]

Interesting, I didn't think of that possibility. Learn something new all the time around here. Now that you mention it, there are some scratched marks in some seppa I have that I now realize are the same thing.

 

Thanks.

[Ford Hallam]

Hi Steven,

 

I think Simon is absolutely correct with regard to the meaning of the marks but I would add that they are actually written ( or more correctly; brushed ) in sumi ink. It is pretty durable stuff, being composed mainly of carbon, and a bit of organic binder. Japanese artisans to this day will just as easily use a brush to mark something as a pencil, although they do occasionally cheat , by using bottled ink. :D

 

cheers, Ford

[Stever]

Cool, I learn so much around here! I thought it might have looked a little thin for lacquer, but I thought ink would've worn away by now. Hence the question.

 

Thanks guys.

/steve