Deez77 Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 (edited) I have what appears to be a Kinai tsuba that was a family heirloom and was damaged in a fire caused by an earthquake. That's all I could really get out of Google translate. Would someone be kind enough to provide a line-by-line translation of the top and bottom of the lid? Top Bottom Tsuba Many thanks in advance Damon Edited April 19 by Deez77 Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 林家の家宝 – A heirloom of Hayashi family 二郎記 – Jiro wrote 鉄鐔 – Iron tsuba 越前記内作 – Echizen Kinai made 此初午の鐔は越前福井藩士林左治衛所持の刀の鐔なり – This hatsuuma tsuba was used for the katana of 林左治衛 (reasing?) who was a retainer of Fukui-han in Echizen. 大正大震災にて土蔵焼け落ち焼跡より□見せし品なり – At the great earthquake disaster in Taisho era, this was found among the debris of burnt down storehouse. 昭和乙卯 – Showa Kinoto-U (1975) 林越奈記 – Hayashi Etsuna? (unsure) wrote 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveM Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 possibly 散見せ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 21 minutes ago, SteveM said: possibly 散見せ I am unsure. Actually I tend to read 発見せし. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveM Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 Yes, that would make more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 20 Author Report Share Posted April 20 Thank you very much for the assistance, that is extremely helpful. Google translates the samurai name as "Hayashi Sajie" but I presume there are multiple ways it could be read? There are plenty of pages on the hatsu-uma festival/celebration, but this one (https://www.nippon.c...Japan-topics/c11802/) notes many of the symbols featured in the tsuba itself. Who knows if the information captured on the box is at all legitimate, but it does make for some interesting research. Damon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted April 21 Report Share Posted April 21 On 4/19/2024 at 9:46 PM, Deez77 said: heirloom damaged in a fire Does the description give any reference to the hobby horse on the tsuba? Kitsune don't wear bridle and reins. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 22 Author Report Share Posted April 22 Thanks Dale, I believe the horse is related to when the hatsu-uma takes place. Here's something I found on how to calculate it: " Hatsu-uma (初午) refers to the first day of the Horse in February. It is a significant festival celebrated at Inari Shrines across Japan. Let me share some details about it: Zodiac Calculation: To determine the date of Hatsu-uma, the zodiac signs are used. The 12 zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, and Wild Boar. Starting with the zodiac animal for January 1st, you count in order. For example, if January 1st is the Chicken, then January 2nd is the Dog, 3rd is the Wild Boar, and so on. The Horse is the 10th zodiac sign from the Monkey. The subjects in the tsuba seem to represent many items associated with the celebration (and with matsuri in general)...and include: - kitsune mask - spinning top - toy horse - wooden placard with fox symbols - flag and pole - (possibly) some kind of bamboo item worn at the waist - taiko drum I found some interesting woodblock images of hatsuuma celebrations with various items (from the link I shared in my previous post). All in all, in interesting piece with a (possibly) interesting story and some noticeable (fire?) damage that doesn't concern me as I'm not a reseller. I am interested in trying to figure out the names mentioned in the 'story' to see if that is something that could be traced. It would seem the story was written/documented in the box in 1975, some 50+ years after the great earthquake...possibly based on a recounting by someone who would have had first hand knowledge from that time. 🤷🏼♂️ It's not often you get some additional information/story to accompany a piece. Anyway, thanks a lot for the interest and contribution. Damon 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 22 Author Report Share Posted April 22 Here are a couple of additional images. Damon 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugyotsuji Posted April 22 Report Share Posted April 22 The last knobbly object seems to be a bamboo muchi (whip). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 22 Author Report Share Posted April 22 Thanks piers... I found it, Muchi (鞭). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugyotsuji Posted April 22 Report Share Posted April 22 Nice collection of objects in a tsuba. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 22 Author Report Share Posted April 22 45 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said: Nice collection of objects in a tsuba. Thank you Piers...and agreed. Pretty interesting motif that I've never seen from this school...so likely a custom order. Too bad about the damage as I'm sure the details would have been very nice. Damon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 23 Author Report Share Posted April 23 I also realized the banners appear to have been carved with 'ha tsu u ma' (はつうま) or something like that as well. Easier to see when enhanced. What do you think? Damon 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveM Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 I think you are right. It could be some hentaigana for つ and う (too hard to see clearly, but maybe 川 for つ). う is too hard to see, but from the others, and the overall theme, I think you've nailed it. This is the earthquake and fire that the box mentions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kantō_earthquake 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 25 Author Report Share Posted April 25 On 4/23/2024 at 5:28 PM, SteveM said: I think you are right. It could be some hentaigana for つ and う (too hard to see clearly, but maybe 川 for つ). う is too hard to see, but from the others, and the overall theme, I think you've nailed it. This is the earthquake and fire that the box mentions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kantō_earthquake Thank you Steve. Can you share your source for the stylistic writing examples? Damon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveM Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 The hentaigana I took that screen grab from, comes from the page below. Its the one I use most often. http://www.book-seis...jp/kana/onjun_1.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k morita Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 Hi, In the Edo period, hatsu-uma was written as hatsumuma(はつむま) and pronounced as hatsuuma(はつうま). Therefore, the flag has the words "Hatsumuma はつむま" written on it. 7 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 26 Author Report Share Posted April 26 Thank you Steve and Morita-san. I really appreciate it. Regarding the Hayashi family member names mentioned in the story, are there various ways to read these: 1. 林左治衛 2. 林越奈 Thank you all. Damon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveM Posted April 26 Report Share Posted April 26 I agree with Moriyama-san about 林越奈 (Hayashi Etsuna) 林左治衛 intuitively I would think its Hayashi Sajie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deez77 Posted April 29 Author Report Share Posted April 29 (edited) On 4/26/2024 at 1:47 AM, k morita said: Hi, In the Edo period, hatsu-uma was written as hatsumuma(はつむま) and pronounced as hatsuuma(はつうま). Therefore, the flag has the words "Hatsumuma はつむま" written on it. Thanks again Morita-san. With just the right light, you are able to clearly see that you hit the nail right on the head! It also appears to be written in a kind of cursive, and you can see the chisel lines connecting the characters. Damon Edited April 29 by Deez77 Fixed typo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k morita Posted April 29 Report Share Posted April 29 Tnx for ur posting. As per previous post, はつむま (hatsuuma/hatsu-uma) Hatsu-uma refers to the first day of the horse in February.) 初午 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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