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Museum book mei translations


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I am trying to compile a book on a Museum collection of tsuba, many of the images in the collection are supplied with inscription information but a number do not. I was hoping for some help with those that have no information. Any help would be appreciated - I realize the images are poor but they are all I  have access to. Let me know if you would like to be included in the credits. Rather than post one at a time I have a single image of seven to start with, with reference numbers. I also realize that some inscriptions will be unreadable and/or gimei.

Thanks for any help.

unknown signatures.jpg

There are only seven more inscriptions so I will add them here as well.

 

unknown signatures 2.jpg

Edited by Spartancrest
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A great project Dale :thumbsup:

(I’ve been doing something similar for armor for some time)

 

So let me start with #248: “武州住正方” (Bushū ju Masakata).


 

....ok, fast yet #288 seems to be: “珍久” (Chinkyū)

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A little more:

#294 - Shoami Yoshishige -正阿弥吉重

42-405 - Mogarishi Soten saku - 藻柄典作

 

Some bits and pieces that hopefully others can add to:

#280 - 越前住[ ] 作 - Echizen ju Nori[   ] saku

#343 - 長州 [ ] 住友次 - Chōshū [   ] ju Tomotsugu

 

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That is OK john, if you change your mind let me know. I will just put up a credit information aided by members of Nihonto Message Board ] how would that be?

 That's two translations for 343 ? The guard style I am researching does not match with the style in the link you sent.

image.png.dd96c6b0105d889d9b495d36a912efe4.png

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Sorry Dale, the Choshu one is 444 - I read the wrong number. That’s fine regarding the credits. I’m confident that the name and first character of the place are correct and a bit of a google lead to the overall conclusion. This one here is a better likeness: 

...also discussed here with a reference to tsuba at the Toledo museum of art described as being in his style. Thanks Pietro! 

 

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Hi Uwe, you’re right both times. Many thanks. 

 

I did consider Hagi but it didn’t look right at the time and I should have thought of Kinai - I was looking for the artist’s name rather than a place name. 
 

That’s two more sorted. 👍

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Thank you both very much, It is great to add some lost information that will help future generations [I hope] 

Probably a few weeks away from finishing the book (so far about 330 pages) if only I had some influence on production costs, or a big firm was interested in doing a big print run to bring costs down. Print on demand has its advantages but cost is not one of them.

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10 hours ago, uwe said:

Moriyama san,

 

am I right in the assumption that both readings are possible for #288?!

Chinkyū (珍久) also read as Yoshihisa?

 

 

Yes, you are right.

Actually, I thing that no one knows the correct reading.

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I am very thankful for the translations that have been done. I am looking into 421 and 448 in a list of kao I have [there are so many that are very similar it may come down to a guess] I was never convinced 277 was genuine - may be a cast fake. In any case I have incorporated some ruled pages at the back of the book for devotees to insert their own opinions.

image.png.c5c4f95bca58af5829f4b190d785bceb.png

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