Markings / Mei on bone saya

[gtstcactus]

I've tried to find these symbols, perhaps they are just some random marks....

 

Could anyone tell me what is said on the saya if anything!

[Stephen]

Japanese Numbers

一 Ichi 1 十一 Ju-ichi 11

二 Ni 2 十二 Ju-Ni 12

三 San 3 十三 Ju-San 13

四 Shi 4 十四 Ju-Shi 14

五 Go 5 十五 Ju-Go 15

六 Rokû 6 二十 Ni-Jû 20

七 Shichi 7 三十 San-jû 30

八 Hachi 8 五十 Go-Jû 50

九 Kû 9 八十 Hachu-Jû 80

十 Jû 10 百 Hyakû 100

[gtstcactus]

Thanks stephen,

 

I thought you read Japanese top to bottom? not side to side????

 

So what I get from that is 3 3 6? I don't think I'm correct!

 

I'm really not very gifted at reading Japanse

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Jason, I would consider the option it says 8,9,3...

[Grey Doffin]

Carlo,

How do you get 893? I was thinking 533 (五三三). Not that this is important; it's just bone mounts on dock work, but I'm curious.

And on a related note: I'm seeing quite a few of these bone mounted blades on ebay, way more common than they used to be looking locally. Suppose the Chinese are faking these too?

Grey

[John A Stuart]

Grey, I don't know if it is Chinese or some other group, but, there is a huge influx of ox bone and jade carving being on the market in the last ten years. Some is nice work, but, close-up the quality is evident. John

[gtstcactus]

No chance it says 1893? or a some other year?

 

So does anyone have a definitive answer?

[george trotter]

They are numbers. Assuming this is pre WWII (prob. Meiji period). At that time the Japanese read R to L, so this is 335.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

I was joking Jason.

 

8,9,3 is a losing combination in Japanese gamble.

There is little interesting meaning in that inscription.

[Markus]

To all your confusion, 三三五 is also a name, namely "Sasago".