Kanji on a Gunto tsuka?

[Dr Fox]

Hi guys.

 

Can anyone assist with the reading on this tsuka, its suspected at being made to fit a non military blade.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

[george trotter]

The kanji on top is "yama" and on the right is "roku" (six).

Those on the left column are harder to read...maybe "x ta x ".

Sorry, maybe Morita sensei or Moriyama sensei or Kunitaro sensei can read it for you?

 

I think it is the fittings shop/order contract details....?

Hope this helps a little bit,

[Dr Fox]

Thanks for the heads up George. I will wait to see what comes up.

Regards

[Dr Fox]

Could anyone give me some indication, why 199 views of this enquiry has not drawn any response, except for the suggestions of George?

Even if the kanji is meaningless, it would be nice to be told.

I find this a most unusual non-response, from members who are so forthcoming as a general rule

Puzzled!

[Dr Fox]

Now with 329 views?

 

George this is not just difficult, it appears its impossible!

 

If its of any use as a hint, the smith was Mori Kunitoshi. But still might not be relevant.

[Brian]

How about posting it in the translation section, since the guys who hang around the military section are probably not the language experts.

 

 

Brian

[Dr Fox]

Well now look you. Its been over a month, and now but for your hint Brian, I would still have been waiting.

Do you know, some times we just don't help ourselves.

[cabowen]

My guess: the top says "yama" 山, on the right, "six"　六, on the left, "inada X"　稲田　？

 

Almost always, the writing on tsuka, saya, etc., are names and assembly marks/numbers. Nothing of any real importance. Perhaps this is why no one has bothered to reply.

[Dr Fox]

Again thank you Brian.

 

But in my own defence, I posted in Military swords because the wording in the translation guide lines states, 'for nihonto and related items'.

So I didn't regard this gunto tsuka as a fit for those terms, in the literary sense.

 

Chris I take your points on board, and its the likely answer to the non response cheers.

As to your help, it takes me further on from where George T helped me to.

So for a bit of background! The enquiry originated from me trying to confirm, that I have a complete gunto koshirae made for a particular blade, and that it has been kept complete since it was set up. The last key to the puzzle was the tsuka inscription. It does marry to all the other parts by the reading of "yama" and "6".

 

Not being a gunto man, I thought this was worth the effort, to find out if this was common, to have a complete unit after so long?

 

Regards both.

[cabowen]

Yes, it is very common as most gunto were put together during the war, clearly, and have stayed in that state since. Sure, some have been disassembled and the parts scattered, reassembled, etc., but in the grand scheme, these put togethers are smaller in number and usually easily spotted as they don't fit together in nearly all cases as well as they should.

[Dr Fox]

See it Chris

 

I have seen a lot of put togethers, and very few have had more than two matching numbers. So to see a collection complete made a refreshing change.

 

Putting my cards on the table, I am a nihonto fan. But freely admit, I find a lot of interesting facts and features in Gunto work.