John A Stuart Posted February 16, 2007 Report Posted February 16, 2007 Hi All Can some one tell me if okakke-mei means the same as gimei. John Quote
steve rb Posted February 16, 2007 Report Posted February 16, 2007 Hi, you're obviously looking at the same tanto as I just have. Had also never heard of okakke-mei. A google turned up only the 1 hit, and that was the auction in question!! No idea. Quote
Brian Posted February 16, 2007 Report Posted February 16, 2007 Always expect misspelling! (and the Spanish Inquisition :lol: ) Okkake mei - "A signature applied by another as a mark of respect." That's all I could find right now, but a search should pull up a bit more. Brian Quote
John A Stuart Posted February 16, 2007 Author Report Posted February 16, 2007 Hi Brian, So, sounds like another way of saying gimei. I've seen examples of this on tsuba if I remember aright and there is a signature of the actual artisan as well. A nijimei okakke-mei just seems unproven as to what the intent was in the 13th cent. without any inscribed dedication. Thanks Brian Steve, the Rai attribution smacked my face at that price (so far). John Quote
Ludolf Richter Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 If the owner of a sword orders someone to chisel a Mei into an unsigned blade (or does it himself) it's still Gimei.,even when he has a definite knowledge on the swordsmith who made it.I have read of some pre WW II- examples where this had been done to improve the value of the pieces. "Okakke-Mei" is definitely not a sword term from the Nihonto community. A sword owner from the pre-NBTHK/NTHK-Origami-era with an unsigned blade from a famous swordsmith could have let an expert put a Kinpun/Kinzogan-Mei (in gold or laquer) on the blade.Ludolf Quote
John A Stuart Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 Hi Ludolf, It is a new term for me. The tanto which is in poor condition and may be beyond recovery is signed Rai Kunimitsu, the dealer used the term okakke-mei. Seems like a deception to me. Anyhow a rai c.1280 $500 bucks, crazy. John Quote
Ludolf Richter Posted February 18, 2007 Report Posted February 18, 2007 I totally agree with you,John!Ludolf Quote
Guest Simon Rowson Posted February 18, 2007 Report Posted February 18, 2007 Hi all, One of the Japanese dealers I occasionally buy fittings from told me off recently for using the term gimei! He informed me that "it is not the swords fault if it starts off as a perfectly good mumei sword and then, later in it's life, it has a dubious signature added to it". Apparently, we should show more respect by calling it "atomei" which means "later signature". I still don't know if he was telling me this because he was truly sensitive to the feelings of his sword's incumbant "spirits" or whether he had a trunkful of gimei blades in the boot of his car. All the best, Simon Quote
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