Requesting Help With Translating Kanji
- Thread starter coral99
- Start date
- 12 Oct 2013
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Hello Coral99
It is a "tameshimei", meaning an inscription that records the results of a cutting test. The one in the picture says
安政二年二月日
於千住二ツ胴落
信盛 （sign)
Ansei 2, February (February 1855)
Cut through two bodies at Senju
(signed) Nobumori (signature)
It is a "tameshimei", meaning an inscription that records the results of a cutting test. The one in the picture says
安政二年二月日
於千住二ツ胴落
信盛 （sign)
Ansei 2, February (February 1855)
Cut through two bodies at Senju
(signed) Nobumori (signature)
- 12 Oct 2013
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- 5,023
From an amateur student of these things, I would say its most likely a test-cutting on a cadaver. In this case, two cadavers, one stacked on top of the other, as was typical for test-cuttings.
All of this assumes the inscription is genuine. Bear in mind that there is a huge, huge industry and trade in forged swords, and swords coming from overseas with suspicious inscriptions on them. I looked in my references for any information on Nobumori, but I couldn't find anything. So its a bit mysterious.
Tameshimei are not so uncommon. Some purists don't fancy swords with this kind of inscription. Usually one wants to look at the sword itself and not at the inscription. But other collectors find them very interesting.
Tameshigiri - Wikipedia
All of this assumes the inscription is genuine. Bear in mind that there is a huge, huge industry and trade in forged swords, and swords coming from overseas with suspicious inscriptions on them. I looked in my references for any information on Nobumori, but I couldn't find anything. So its a bit mysterious.
Tameshimei are not so uncommon. Some purists don't fancy swords with this kind of inscription. Usually one wants to look at the sword itself and not at the inscription. But other collectors find them very interesting.
Tameshigiri - Wikipedia
Last edited:
- 22 Feb 2008
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加賀守藤原隆清鍛之
Kaga no kami Hujiwara Takakiyo kore wo kitau.
Governor of Kaga Province Hujiwara Takakiyo forged this sword.
Kaga no kami Hujiwara Takakiyo kore wo kitau.
Governor of Kaga Province Hujiwara Takakiyo forged this sword.
- 12 Oct 2013
- 4,071
- 5,023
Hello again Coral99
A bit of unsolicited advice:
This is the business side of the tang. This side has the info that helps determine the sword's value. The test-cutting is interesting, but the swordsmith himself is more important. But what you really want to be looking at and studying is the sword blade. The part that gets hidden inside the pommel is window dressing (albeit, important window dressing in some cases). But if you are thinking of buying this sword, don't be too dazzled by the inscription on the tang. It is like being offered a Rembrandt painting and getting sidetracked by the frame. There might be rare cases where a well-preserved contemporary frame will help verify the painting's authenticity, but it would never be more interesting than the painting itself.
Takakiyo is as much of a mystery to me as the test-cutter on the opposite side. Takakiyo doesn't show up in any of my references either. Its usually not a good sign, but if the sword itself is forged well, one could overlook the very obscure smith and test-cutter. If somebody is trying to sell the sword to you for a high price, and trying to justify it by the "unique" inscription, I would proceed with extreme caution.
A good resource is the Nihonto Message Board. Full of amazingly knowledgeable people who would be keen to help and advise.
A bit of unsolicited advice:
This is the business side of the tang. This side has the info that helps determine the sword's value. The test-cutting is interesting, but the swordsmith himself is more important. But what you really want to be looking at and studying is the sword blade. The part that gets hidden inside the pommel is window dressing (albeit, important window dressing in some cases). But if you are thinking of buying this sword, don't be too dazzled by the inscription on the tang. It is like being offered a Rembrandt painting and getting sidetracked by the frame. There might be rare cases where a well-preserved contemporary frame will help verify the painting's authenticity, but it would never be more interesting than the painting itself.
Takakiyo is as much of a mystery to me as the test-cutter on the opposite side. Takakiyo doesn't show up in any of my references either. Its usually not a good sign, but if the sword itself is forged well, one could overlook the very obscure smith and test-cutter. If somebody is trying to sell the sword to you for a high price, and trying to justify it by the "unique" inscription, I would proceed with extreme caution.
A good resource is the Nihonto Message Board. Full of amazingly knowledgeable people who would be keen to help and advise.
