Stoney Posted November 4, 2013 Report Posted November 4, 2013 Hi, could I ask one of the experts on this site to translate this please. Thanks very much. Quote
Jean Posted November 4, 2013 Report Posted November 4, 2013 Chad, At the top of the page you have a kanji page link which would enable you to translate it easily, the fourth kanji is a variation of the classical "Masa" kanji. Quote
Stoney Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Posted November 4, 2013 So the first one is Kiyo? Jean,Correct? Quote
ROKUJURO Posted November 4, 2013 Report Posted November 4, 2013 Chad, the first KANJI is the one for water, the second for 'heart'. The whole signature is the name of a very famous SHIN SHINTO smith, but chances are small that he actually made the blade. It may be more of an hommage to him. Quote
Stoney Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Posted November 4, 2013 Ok thanks Jean C. Could you please tell me what the whole kanji means, by that, each of the 5 characters broken into their meaning? Its really hard to go through heaps of Japanese characters/ kanji and find a match. Almost impossible to an amateur. Quote
ROKUJURO Posted November 4, 2013 Report Posted November 4, 2013 Chad, all depends on your intention to learn something about blades and signatures. Many if not most of the NMB menber have gone through this process, spending hours looking for a KANJI translation, being stuck with the second reading which makes no sense. It is in fact half of the fun to go the way yourself without being 'carried' to the solution, but perhaps not for everyone: It is SUISHINSHI MASAHIDE. The KANJI are quite nicely written and so this task would have been an easy one. But you may want to try another time by yourself. Quote
Stoney Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Posted November 4, 2013 On the contrary Jean C. Now that you have opened the way for me I will research and now learn as much as I can about this swordsmith/kanji etc. Why bumble along on my own when I can consult experts and avoid the dead ends? I now know exactly, without being ignorant to the facts. Thankyou very sincerely for your help. Quote
Brian Posted November 4, 2013 Report Posted November 4, 2013 Chad, Just bear in mind that your kozuka wasn't made by him (99.9% sure) Most kozuka have spurious signatures....with rare exceptions. Brian Quote
Stoney Posted November 6, 2013 Author Report Posted November 6, 2013 Ok thanks Brian. If I could ask. Are kozuka appraised in the same way as katana etc? Quote
runagmc Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 Kozuka and kogatana can both be appraised - although, the later is, only in unique examples. It is rare that a kogatana is attributable to a smith. (this rule does not apply as much to modern kogatana)... Quote
Jean Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 In fact, you have only to worry when the signature is of a famous smith, but there are exceptions too. For example, I have seen a kogatana signed "Tamba no Kami Yoshimichi" with a hamon in sudareba. The mei was probaby Ok. I am collecting kogatana signed by Mino smiths forged in 1670/1680. I have three of them. If you search this website, you'll see a picture of them. Quote
Stoney Posted November 7, 2013 Author Report Posted November 7, 2013 This is such a great place to learn. Thank-you very much Adam and Jean. I will look for your kogatana Jean. Quote
Jean Posted November 8, 2013 Report Posted November 8, 2013 Adam, you don't paper kogatana, absolutely no interest. The shinsa cost far exceeds its price and there is no market for gimei kogatana. They are often bearing a famous smith name but no signature. The topic kogatana is not signed but just bear a name as 95% of the kogatana. Fyi, in the years 1670/1680, there was a bunch of Mino smiths who specialised in kogatana forging. They had a special way of inscribing their names. Search NMB some examples. No one is going to fake them. Too much work and too cheap. Don't mistake market price with quality. They are tiny marvels :D . Quote
runagmc Posted November 8, 2013 Report Posted November 8, 2013 Fyi, in the years 1670/1680, there was a bunch of Mino smiths who specialised in kogatana forging. They had a special way of inscribing their names I didn't know that... I'll have to search the board so I can see what they look like. BTW, I'm sure I've seen a few papered kogatana (I remember specifically a few Kotetsu I think). I would guess you have seen a few, too? Obviously, they are rarely attributable, as was said before... There are also some excellent modern ones made by famous smiths. Maybe they will be papered one day, as I'm sure they could potentially warrant the expense of shinsa. Edit- Here is your post... some nice kogatana - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5184&hilit=kogatana Quote
Jean Posted November 8, 2013 Report Posted November 8, 2013 For people interested: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.c ... na-zuikan# Quote
Pete Klein Posted November 8, 2013 Report Posted November 8, 2013 There is this one also: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.c ... naga-masao Quote
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