I Need Some Help

[EdWolf]

Hi to all,

 

I need some help with translating the inscription on this sweet little kogatana. Normally I can read some characters but this one is way too difficult for me. Hope one of you can help me out.

 

Best regards,

Ed

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes Ed, you can bust this one with a Bonji at the top and a Kao at the bottom. There are two lines of three characters in the central body, with the living place on the right.

 

Starting hint, 泉州住

[EdWolf]

Hello Piers,

Thanks for your help but I’m still lost. The hint (泉州住) senshū ju doesn’t help me much

I can’t recognize that part of the signatures at all. Which part is 泉州住?

Best regards,

Ed

[EdWolf]

I think I see what you mean. This type of writing is very hard to read. Maybe it's because of my bad sight.

Please reveal the rest of the signature. I'm lost! Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Ed

 

[EdWolf]

No one? Please help me with the translation.

Best regards, Ed

[Bugyotsuji]

Ed, we are in the same boat. The Ju character has extra strokes so it needs a leap of faith, suggested partly by context.

The left line is 1.口  2.口  3. 治 but to pick apart the first two I will need to crank up the brain and open some books. No.2. has 金 hen, so that is where I will start. (Just woken up!) In the meantime other beavers will surely be at work on it!

[Bugyotsuji]

Giving up for the moment, but something keeps calling me back to reconsider: 押鍛冶

 

There were at least 25 gunsmiths in Wakayama who called themselves Oshi kaji, a name that some say originated from their tongues being cut out to prevent the secrets of gunsmithing from spreading.  Although some signed with the actual (not pc today) sound and character for 'dumb', others kept the sound but used the verb Osu 押す 'to push', as 押し i.e.Oshi .

 

Perhaps some higher power would step in and sort us out!

Thoughts anyone, to push this game forwards? 

[uwe]

I was on it, but after a while, I decided that this riddle is beyond my abilities ????

Will give it another try this afternoon if nobody gets it......

 

Hi Piers,

I couldn't see 金 in the second one ????

[EdWolf]

Hi Piers and Uwe,

Thanks for all the effort! I really appreciate it!

This one is hard to read. I'm a novice but normally I can determine one or sometimes more within a half hour. But this one, after an hour I gave up. Nothing. Thanks to you guys we can read a part! Maybe an other member can help us.

Thanks again!

Best regards, Ed

[Bugyotsuji]

The second one down on the left, Uwe, what do you see there?

[SteveM]

The left side almost looks like 摂鍛冶, but that doesn't ring any bells.

摂 fits with 泉, but after that, I got nothing. (I do agree the final two are 鍛冶)

[mywei]

i agree with Steve. it could be 摄 which is another form of 摂/攝

[Bugyotsuji]

Settsu Kaji could mean ‘a Settsu smith’, ‘a Sakai smith’, no?

[uwe]

Settsu Kaji could mean ‘a Settsu smith’, ‘a Sakai smith’, no?

Can be read that way, but does it make sense with “泉州住” in the right column....?

[EdWolf]

Maybe a slightly better picture will help.