Kanteisho Paper Translation Help

[Mark S.]

Good morning all. I made a previous attempt to ask questions about a recent purchase, but soon realized more information was needed, so I will try again. I am very interested in filling a few ‘translation holes’ in the Kanteisho paper for a sword I purchased at the recent Chicago show on Saturday. My questions are below and circled in red on the pics of the paper.

 

General information:

Katana: Nagasa 70.9cm (27.91”) / Sori 1.8cm (11/16”) / Nakago (2 mekugiana) 18.5cm (7-1/4”)

Mumei – shortened. Not in full polish, but in pretty good condition as it is.

 

Was submitted for Shinsa at the Minneapolis Show, October 8, 2011 and received Kanteisho paper with the following attribution: Bingo / Mihara / Masamori / Tensho era

 

Score: 75/100 according to the original worksheet. I believe this is a mid-level score?

 

In an effort to learn on my own, I did my best trying to translate as much of the Kanteisho paper as I could, but I have the following questions that correlate to the circled areas (in red) on the Kanteisho paper attached. Also, if I missed anything else, please correct me:

 

Front - attribution information:

1st character is Den? (attributed to)?

4th character is Kai? (group or school)?

Front – nagasa information:

Are the last two characters of the line a general term for ‘length’?

 

Back:

Meibun section: 2nd character Ubu _? Mumei

Jigane section: 2nd two characters Itame ? ?__

Boshi section: 1st two characters ? ?_ Ko Maru

Horimono/Hi section: Full translation please (just too many kanji for me to know where to start)

 

Judges section: Does anyone know who the 4 judges were, and match them to their seals from the Minneapolis show in 2011?

 

If anyone knows anything about the smith/school, please let me know. I am doing research and have found some info about the Mihara (particularly Sue-Mihara) school, but always interested in more. In fact ANY information about what I have posted is VERY much welcome.

 

I know it is a lot to ask (and I hope I am not breaking any rules or etiquette), but being my first blade (and being REALLY excited about it as you can tell), I would like to get as much detailed information as possible. For my first blade (other than a WW2 Gunto), I think I did all right. Price on the blade was good, had papers (I know, not the most important, but it did give me an additional level of comfort for a first purchase), and most important, I just liked the blade. It did come in Gunto mounts, but sooner or later, I will consider a polish and shirasaya. Mr. Benson (at the show) believed it would polish up nicely and was generally a solid blade.

 

Thank you (very much) in advance,

Mark S.

[Mark S.]

I am adding a close up of the Horimono/Hi section to aid in translation.

Thank You,

Mark S.

[Mark S.]

A close up of the back of the paper.

 

I know I should probably have turned my notes - the words in red (that are sideways) - the opposite direction so it would read from the top down... I apologize.

[cabowen]

from right to left:

 

Ubu mumei

 

Itame tsumu

 

sugu ni komaru

[John A Stuart]

You question the 貝 Kai kanji? It is correct, the Kai-Mihara group. John

[Mark S.]

 

Ubu mumei

 

 

Mr Bowen,

Thank you for your help and please excuse my confusion... I was led to believe the blade had been shortened? Wouldn't "Ubu mumei" mean the nakago is original and simply unsigned? Does the circled kanji indicated it had been shortened?

Mark S.

[Mark S.]

You question the 貝 Kai kanji? It is correct, the Kai-Mihara group. John

 

Mr Stuart,

Thank you for your help. I do not question whether the attribution is correct... I question my ability to read it correctly and was just looking for confirmation.

Mark S.

[cabowen]

 

Ubu mumei

 

 

Wouldn't "Ubu mumei" mean the nakago is original and simply unsigned? Does the circled kanji indicated it had been shortened?

Mark S.

 

Yes, that is what it means.

 

No the circled hiragana does not mean it was shortened....

[Mark S.]

 

Yes, that is what it means.

 

 

I am so sorry... this is not a 'gotcha' question. It is my fault for not providing the worksheet initially. Strange, "Ubu" is not circled... but there is kanji off to the right and I believe that means 'shortened'. Honestly Mr Bowen, I am not playing games or 'stump the experts'... I just wasn't sure how much info to dump here and overload everyone. I guess I should have included it so it would have helped from the beginning. Thank you so much for your help!

 

Mark S.

[Jean]

Mark,

 

Could you provide pictures on the both sides of the last 10cm of the blade tip?

 

What would be useful, when you ask information and as I already stated in an other topic, is to provide the pictures of the whole blade and of the different parts mentioned in the kanteisho.

 

Gomabashi are often found on tanto, they are often referred as chopsticks grooves. Two short parallel grooves.

[Brian]

Mark,

Congrats and kudos for at least going to the effort that you have so far. I think people will be glad to assist seeing as you have tried to do as much as you can.

Sorry I can't be of much help myself...frantically trying to get through the evening NMB business as I have some other matters to attend to.

 

Brian

[Mark S.]

 

Yes, that is what it means.

 

 

Mr Bowen,

Thank you for your help. So, based on the Kanteisho and the worksheet, there is no indication that the blade was shortened? I may have misunderstood the person who led me to believe the blade had been shortened and I also thought that 2 mekugiana and the hi running into the nakago were at least an indicator that it was shortened. I know dealing with a novice is probably very frustrating for the more experienced members, but I do appreciate your help.

Mark S.

[Mark S.]

Mark,

Congrats and kudos for at least going to the effort that you have so far. I think people will be glad to assist seeing as you have tried to do as much as you can.

 

Thank you Brian, and I know it seems like I am asking for A LOT of information from the members... I hope they will be patient with me. Just as in many things in life, I hope everyone can understand the excitement of that 'first one'... :D

 

And there may be other members who can use this as a reference in the future for some of the 'basic translations' of a Kanteisho paper.

[Mark S.]

To keep things all in one thread... this was a much appreciated response from member 'Kunitaro' regarding the description of the hi on both sides of the blade:

 

It is written

 

表、腰樋　中心内に掻き流し、　

裏、護摩箸　中心内に掻き流し

 

Omote, Koshi-hi Nakago-nai ni kakinagashi

Ura, Gomabashi Nakago-nai ni Kakinagashi into Nakago

 

Kosh-hii on omote

and

Gomabashi on ura side

 

Koshi-hi, Gomabashi are same as Bo-hi, Futasuji-ji, but shorter.

[cabowen]

Without the blade in hand it is difficult for me to contradict the opinion of the shinsa team, which seems to be that the sword is ubu, mumei. The hi ending where and the way they do is not inconsistent with an ubu blade. The lower mekugi-ana is not uncommon. There is nothing from the photos shown that says the sword can not be ubu mumei....

[Mark S.]

 

What would be useful, when you ask information and as I already stated in an other topic, is to provide the pictures of the whole blade and of the different parts mentioned in the kanteisho.

 

Jean,

I am still working on those pictures. Unfortunately, my attempts last night turned out poorly. There are two pics of the Hi at the beginning of this thread, but my attempts at the 'whole blade' and the last 10cm of the blade were all flash and didn't show much.

 

Mark S.

[Jean]

Mark,

 

Don't use flash. Most camera nowadays allow to take pictures in almost pitch dark. it is a question of ISO. If you want an additional light, please use it sideways so it does not reflect in the lens.