Help with a translation please....& thank you

[Cello]

Hi all, looking for some help on a 25'' nagasa katana I just picked up in wwII mounts.Any help would be appreciated as always!

thanks...

[Jean]

Marcello,

 

You are lazy. Look at the kanji pages , it is not so difficult (it begins by the Province name)

 

M ..... (the 3rd Kanji is even easier - can be read either K... or M ...)

 

And believe me I am no good at all at translating. I spoted the Province name in 2 minutes ....

 

http://www.jssus.org/nkp/kanji_for_mei.html

[Cello]

Lazy huh.... I hope your just breaking my chops?Well I guess I'm not so adept in reading kanji...I'm Just looking for some helpful input which you have provided with a little jab but that's fine I guess.. I deserve it being almost completely new to this right..I don't have any idea in how to begin to search out the proper kanji it's all greek to me!! Maybe someone can give me a little instruction on the most efficient and productive way to break down the characters for some reason I just have a really hard time with it I must be going about it the wrong way

thanks

[Veli]

Hi!

 

As Jean said, this is not too difficult: the kanji are clearly written and also often encountered ones. I'd like to make one note, however: The kanji are in left hand writing, usually you see it as a mirror image of this one...

 

Please try once more! If you cannot find the answer, you'll get it this afternoon... As Jean said: Province (1. and 2. kanji together) and title (3. kanji)

 

Kanbatte kudasai!

 

BR, Veli

[Cello]

Thanks that was a very useful response pointing me in the right direction.I will work from what you have said and try my best.It just seems that they are common to people that have been intrested in this for a longer time then I.Once I have seen them many times over I'm sure I'll start to retain some other then mitsu and the charcter for "made by" see I forgot what it's called already lol.....but thanks I try

[Cello]

Mutsu??......Kami?? I didn't realize that the first and second were combine to form the province thanks for pointing that out but I probably still have it wrong!

[Veli]

That's the right answer! Mutsu (no) Kami! Well done!

 

BR, Veli

[Cello]

Well I fell like a 3yr old learning to read see spot run lol! god I suck at kanji...So thats the province couldnt find the next one?? also there are a few that have been cut off or am I off base again?

[Lee Bray]

Welcome to the kanji illiterate club...there's a few of us around...

 

You're correct that some kanji are missing. The nakago looks suriage so some of the mei is lost.

Mutsu (no) Kami is also a title given to some smiths, eg. Hizen Mutsu (no) Kami Tadayoshi, Mutsu (no) Kami Kaneyasu, etc, etc.

 

The first example - Hizen Tadayoshi - the smith works in Hizen province and is given the title, Mutsu (no) Kami, which I believe means 'Lord Of Mutsu[province]'. Hizen is on the far Western end of Japan, Mutsu is the North East... ...I've yet to learn how the various titles were bestowed.

 

So your mei could be the province or could be a title.

I don't know if there are differing kanji to differentiate between the two.

Also, would Mutsu province be written as 'Mutsu (no) Kuni' ?

[Lee Bray]

I'd like to make one note, however: The kanji are in left hand writing, usually you see it as a mirror image of this one...

 

While doing some quick research for my previous post, I came across this link.

http://web1.australianmuseum.net.au/ima ... asu-Sword/

 

Note the text - "Kaneyasu was noted for the peculiar style in which he signed his work - the characters of his name can only be read properly in reflection."

 

The two mei appear differently struck but I'm just adding the link for comparison, not stating gimei, especially as the above link says nothing of papers or whether the mei is genuine.

 

Edit - http://australianmuseum.net.au/Sword-of-Friendship - Interesting side story to the above Kaneyasu, and another pic for comparison.

[george trotter]

You have done well for your first attempt...reversed kanji too. As has been said, there was a well known swordsmith titled "Mutsu no Kami..."

Look around a bit for info....it might help to use the phrase "Hidari Mutsu" (left-handed Mutsu).

Regards,

Geo.

[MikeS]

G'day all.

For those of you in Sydney, Australia, we currently have a Hidari Mustu (Mutsu Kami Kaneyasu) on display at The Australian Museum. A previous poster posted a link. If anyone has examples of his other mei, I would appreciate them.

Thanks

Mike Smith

Sydney, Australia

[Cello]

Hi mike thanks for the intrest!...I have been looking for some other examples but so far have only found the one you are reffering too...

[Veli]

Fujishiro saved the day once more!

 

In my humble opinion, this is a close match: Hawley KAN432, 3rd generation Kaneyasu, signed earlier Kaneshige (Hawley KAN 317), also in left-hand style. Active around Kan-bun. Jo-saku by Fujishiro, 30 pts Hawley, thus a skilled smith.

 

 

 

BR, Veli

[Cello]

I would be in complete agreement with you on this.Comparing this to the sword in hand I would say almost exact... but My skill level of reading kanji is rather low...thanks for the research you have been very helpful!

[Veli]

You are welcome!

 

To be honest, I am just an ignorant beginner with a lot of good books!

 

Let's wait for the comments of the more experienced members...

 

EDIT: I just realised you had posted pics of the sword on another thread. Looks really nice. If this was your first purchase...

 

BR, Veli

[Cello]

I'm pretty fresh to this too.. I have a good amount of books but not many on mei I need to pick up hawley's. I've bought a few blades before some nice some not so much. I do feel now I have a much better eye for a better sword then when I made my first bad buy lol. I think I got this one for a good price, but I'm not sure what this one is going to turn out to be $ wise. I'm not so concerned with the money but it's nice to know what I have.