grass signature help

[Rickisan]

I have won a tsuba for really low $$$. My first one.

 

Might be a paperweight -but thats ok, I am hard headed and it will be a good learning experience.

(it cost me less than a weekend in thailand)..lol nice philosophy huh

 

Might be real - I'm crossing my fingers!

 

The problem for now is, the mei looks to me as if its written in "grass script". (As if I didnt have enough trouble with regular Kanji) I'm told its Eiju, (which I looked up in the links) but whats the rest of it say?

 

Could someone reccomend a good book to buy, to decipher the "grass script".

 

thanks,

Rick

[docliss]

Dear Rick

 

Your tsuba is signed SeiryÅ«ken Eiju and appears to be very typical of his work, apart from the fact that he commonly included a gold hira-zÅgan seal. Haynes lists this artist as Okamoto Naofusa (H 06606.0), a student of Okamoto Harukuni and the adopted son of Okamoto Naoshige. But the are numerous tsuba, of greatly varying quality, bearing this mei in sÅsho script and using the gÅ of SeiryÅ«ken. There are also several variations of the gold seal.

 

It is now believed that there were several artists signing tsuba of the TetsugendÅ style thus. Umetada Eiju may have been one such artist or, more probably, was the same artist as H 06606.0, above. Your tsuba appears to be a reasonable example of such work.

 

Regards, John L.

[Rickisan]

John,

That works for me...thanks for the info.

 

I have been given a little advice,(by a tsuba guru) and plan to save up a little more next time and shoot for something really nice, hopefully papered.

 

Might not be top end stuff, but I like the design and have to start somewhere.

 

So, its his name on the left? Whats the right hand say? I'd like to try and learn these things little by little.

 

Also, can you point me in the right direction towards a book, to help read sosho script.

 

Thanks for all your help,

Rick

[docliss]

Dear Rick

 

On the right, reading from above down SEIRYUKEN

On the left, reading from above down EIJU (or NAOFUSA)

 

I'm afraid that I can't help you with a suggested text for reading 'grass' script. It occurs relatively rarely on tosogu, and the books that I have seen look very complicated. I know that several of the members could advise you on this, though.

 

Happy hunting, John.

[AZPhil]

Would it be possible to see a pic of the other side?

 

Thanks

[Rickisan]

AZPhil - Here are the additional pictures...I didnt post them before...didnt think too many people would be interested, since its kinda low end.

 

John - Thank you very much, the fancy cursive stuff looks nice.

 

It reminds me of doctors writing...which only the doctor can decipher...lol

 

Rick

 

btw -way off topic, but if anyone is interested in harleys, I managed to get a pic of my bike in the American Iron Magazine...helmet hair and all.