Need help with NBTHK paper translation (or interpretation)

[DK-Prof]

I would appreciate any help interpreting the NBTHK paper shown in the photo. As far as I understand it, the attribution is "Shimosaka" - but I am not sure exactly what that means.

 

Does it mean a specific attribution to one of the smiths actually named Shimosaka (like SHI928 or SHI929), or is it a more general attribution to the Shimosaka/Yasutsugu school, without the attribution to a particular smith? (The paper is a Kicho paper, so I am obviously assuming it's not some big fancy or important smith).

 

Any help is appreciated!! I've already got another blade from the Echizen Shimosaka school (made by Munemichi) with a crazy hamon, and I really like this new blade because it also has a pretty wild hamon - so I'd obviously like it if they have that connection.

[Gabriel L]

Klaus,

 

Although I am sure you will get help soon, it should be fairly easy to translate yourself as this is written fairly clearly. Compare with ninteisho here, take out all the "form" writing and focus on the things specific to this blade, use the nihonto kanji references and also kanji lookup systems by radical or even handwriting. You don't have to speak or read Japanese (I don't) to make a go of it, this can be a very good learning / practice exercise. Actually I think I will try myself.

 

On the other hand it takes time, and time is money, so do not feel obligated. As I said, I'm sure help will be along soon.

 

Cheers,

—GLL

 

EDIT: here is my effort (from right column to left). Although I am sure there may be mistakes with readings or spelling of compound kanji (e.g. san + hi = san nichi?) the kanji and their meaning should be intact... I hope.

 

認定書 - Ninteisho (judgement paper):

 

一. 脇指 無銘 (下坂) 長一尺八寸 - Item: wakizashi mumei (Shimosaka) naga ichi shaku hachi sun (unsigned Shimosaka wakizashi, length 1 shaku 8 sun = 54.5 cm or 21.4")

 

"Shinsa panel determined blah blah kicho etc." (NBTHK form sentence, doesn't vary except for type and rank)

 

昭和五十四年三月三日 - Showa go ju shi nen sangatsu san nichi (paper issued March 3, 1979)

 

日本美術刀剣保存協会 - Zaidan Hojin Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (non-profit organization NBTHK)

 

Owner's / presenter's name.

 

(The envelope repeats "Ninteisho - mumei Shimosaka").

[Mark]

they are saying Shimosaka school without specifying any individual smith, probably Shinto period

[DK-Prof]

Cool - thanks for the super-fast replies from both of you! Thanks for all of your effort Gabriel!! I tried to use your resources, but you were much faster!

 

So here's my follow-up stupid question. When it just says "Shimosaka" as a reference to the school, does that mean it could be either the Edo or the Echizen "side" of the Shimosaka school, or would the lack of a reference to either imply that it must be before the split in the 1640s?

 

Or does it just mean that it could be from anyone in the Shimosaka school, from either side?

[Gabriel L]

Cool - thanks for the super-fast replies from both of you! Thanks for all of your effort Gabriel!! I tried to use your resources, but you were much faster!

No problem, practice makes it go faster although I am still very slow. I hope that even without finishing the translation you got a sense of where information is on the page and how to work on it yourself, it is a useful skill to develop (also for reading mei).

 

 

So here's my follow-up stupid question. When it just says "Shimosaka" as a reference to the school, does that mean it could be either the Edo or the Echizen "side" of the Shimosaka school, or would the lack of a reference to either imply that it must be before the split in the 1640s? Or does it just mean that it could be from anyone in the Shimosaka school, from either side?

I might think the latter but someone more knowledgeable than me should answer this.