Translation of Fujishiro Certificate

[JRW 2]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a katana that I believe to be from the early edo/late koto period.  The blade came with an accompanying Fujishiro certificate that I'm having a hard time translating.  I've been able to work through most of the certificate, but I was hoping for help translating the two boxes highlighted in red:  

 

For the box on the upper right, the blade is mumei (無名) so I believe the highlighted text may be in connection with an attribution? 

 

For the box on the bottom left, the top two inscriptions could be information about the blade construction and the bottom two could be information about the hamon?  

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!  I'm brand new to the community/collecting, so I have no intention of using the information for commercial purposes, I'm just trying to understand more about the history of this blade!

 

Many thanks in advance! 

 

JW

[Shugyosha 817]

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, didn't quite get it all (see below). I'm not sure how much sword terminology you know, so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs.

 

From the right:

末加州 - Sue Kashu - late Kashu, Kashu being the province of Kaga (not sure what this equates to in terms of time period but presumably shinto or later).

地鉄: 板目肌 - Ji tetsu: Itame hada.

刃文: 互の目乱 - Hamon: Gunome midare (some subtelty here that I may be missing, but I think that is correct).

(Next line - I'm struggling with the size of the print in the heading but it refers to the blade shape, in this case): 本造刀 - Hon zukuri katana (same as shinogi zukuri)

彫物: 表裏腰樋 - Horimono: Omote, ura koshibi - there's a groove on both sides of the blade (I think) starting closest to the tang but not running full length of the blade.

There are a couple of other kanji here referring to carvings but I can't identify them, however, presumably you'll have an idea of what's on your blade, if not post a picture and I'm sure you'll get some help.

 

[Bugyotsuji 2,673]

Strange that the writing is so very different.

 

Two small points.

1. Gunomé + 小乱れ komidaré

2. 表裏　Omoté/Ura 腰樋・添樋Koshibi, Soébi

 

(Actually a photograph would help illustrate what the writer was attempting to describe.)

[Shugyosha 817]

Duh - thanks Piers.👍😬

[JRW 2]

You're spot on that there is a groove on both sides starting at the tang that doesn't run the fully length of the blade.  It's also comforting to know that my effort attempting to translate wasn't a total loss, as I managed to determine Sue Kashu.  I just wasn't able to find any information on what that meant, so I assumed I had mistranslated!

 

Anyway, I can't thank you both enough for all your help!  There seems to be very little information out their on personal Fujishiro certificates, so you've both saved me weeks of additional research.