Confused with mei reading: 武山

Acoyauh

後輩

1 Nov 2016

25

0

• 8 Nov 2017

• #1

Hello again,
I have seen this sword mei:

It's supposed to be seki buzan yoshikatsu.
But that would be 関武山義勝 right? What do the last 3 kanji actually say?

Also, 武山 can be read takeyama if it's a surname? I don't know of any buzan smiths, but there are plenty takeyama/takayama - am I in the right track here?

Anyway, I'm all confused, since none of my clumsy reading combinations return an actual smith in any index I know... would someone kindly help me out?

Thank you!

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

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4,926

• 8 Nov 2017

• #2

That's 関武山義尚作, reading Seki Takeyama Yoshinao saku, meaning Made by Takeyama Yoshinao in Seki.
Incidentally, Takeyama and Takayama are different in kanji. 武山 can't be read as Takayama.

 

Acoyauh

後輩

1 Nov 2016

25

0

• 9 Nov 2017

• Thread starter
• #3

Great, thank you so much, again, Totoribe!
A WWII smith that made both gendaito and showato... need to have a closer look at the blade. It looks well made, but if showato then it is not made of tamahagane, no matter how nicely made.

I don't know if it's an urban legend, but supposedly showato are destroyed in Japan. Is this true? This one is in Hiroshima and has its Ministry of Education registration, so I guess it's a good sign...

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 11 Nov 2017

• #4

Shōwatō aren't automatically destroyed, although military swords used to be as they were seen solely as weapons without artistic merit. Nowadays I don't think the authorities are so strict. I think they take a more lenient view of these items. As you surmise, if this one is already registered it is either a sign that the sword is traditionally made, or that the person registering the sword wasn't bothered by the composition of the sword.

 

Acoyauh

後輩

1 Nov 2016

25

0

• 11 Nov 2017

• Thread starter
• #5

Thank you, Majestic. I am not familiar with Board of Education registration cards; I know they're not judgement papers, but do you know what information they have? Do they identify the sword at any detail? I mean, if I ask to see it, would it tell me anything other than that it is Japanese?

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 12 Nov 2017

• #6

The registration card tells what the item is (sword, wakizashi, spear, etc.), how long it is, how deep the curvature is, how many peg-holes there are, and what inscription is on the blade.
It will have a unique registration number, and it will identify which board of education is issuing the card.

 

Toritoribe

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Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

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• 12 Nov 2017

• #7

Acoyauh said:

I am not familiar with Board of Education registration cards; I know they're not judgement papers, but do you know what information they have? Do they identify the sword at any detail? I mean, if I ask to see it, would it tell me anything other than that it is Japanese?

Click to expand...

You've already seen it previously.
Sword certificate - What kind of sword? | Japan Forum

 

Acoyauh

後輩

1 Nov 2016

25

0

• 12 Nov 2017

• Thread starter
• #8

THOSE are the cards? I thought there was a different one for the export of a sword. That would do, I guess thank you guys!