Translation assistance please

[matthewbrice]

Hello.  This appears to be a Special Order?  The smith is Amahide—but asking for help with the rest of the inscription.  (Not the best handwriting).  

Thank you!  

[Nobody]

應鈴木照雲師求源天秀鍛之 – Responding to the order from Rev. Suzuki Shoun, Minamoto Amahide forged this.

 

I am unsure about 求.

[YourBabyBjornBorg]

How expeditious and thorough! I second to 求, too. Couldn't be something like 夜 in this context.

[matthewbrice]

Moriyama-san, thank you!  When you write 'Rev.', do you mean the sword was ordered by a Reverend?  Or by the reverent man Suzuki Shoun?  

 

 

 

--Matt

 

[YourBabyBjornBorg]

I think Suzuki Shoun was a sword dealer of some sort, for there was a Gunto (Japanese military sword) store named Suzuki Shoun Dou opened in 1923, run by Suzuki Akio, so Shoun might be his art name (Shoun/"shining on clouds" is pretty artty). Also explains why there are multiple Gunto with signatures like "made to Suzuki Shoun's demand".

 

師 (literally "teacher") could just be used as an honorific way of addressing someone, close to Master or Sensei, but often associated with religious (like Buddhists) or instructive (say, martial instructors) occupations.

 

[matthewbrice]

Thank you Joe!  So very informative.  I appreciate your time and efforts!

 

 

 

--Matt