Decipher the inscription on my suzuri-bako

[Katsujinken]

With thanks to Kelly Schmidt, this beautiful suzuri-bako arrived today from Japan. I know it is dated Meiji 40 (1907), but the rest is beyond me. Anyone want to take a crack?

[ChrisW]

It truly is gorgeous!

[SteveM]

The handwriting is an address in Yamagata Prefecture

 

吹浦村字宿町

山形縣平氏

渋谷三郎

明治四拾年旧五月六日

新調

 

Fukuramura Aza Shuku-chō

Yamagata-ken, Taira-shi

Shibuya Saburō

Meiji 40, (old calendar) May 6th

Newly made

 

Made or bought for Mr. Taira (presumably) by Saburō SHIBUYA

[Katsujinken]

Wow, wizardry. Many thanks. :-)

[SteveM]

The writing on the ink sticks are just brands of ink. One of the brands (金不換 - Kinfukan) is still around.

The other one comes from Anhui province in China. 

 

The last one (looks like a seal) says

横一氏　

Yokoichi (Mr.)

[Nobody]

 

The handwriting is an address in Yamagata Prefecture

 

吹浦村字宿町

山形縣平氏

渋谷三郎

明治四拾年旧五月六日

新調

 

Fukuramura Aza Shuku-chō

Yamagata-ken, Taira-shi

Shibuya Saburō

Meiji 40, (old calendar) May 6th

Newly made

 

Made or bought for Mr. Taira (presumably) by Saburō SHIBUYA

 

Allow me a little correction.

 

山形縣平民 (Yamagata-ken, heimin)

渋谷三郎

→ Shibuya Saburo who is a commoner in Yamagata-ken.

 

So, I think that Shibuya Saburo had the box made for himself.

[Katsujinken]

The writing on the ink sticks are just brands of ink. One of the brands (金不換 - Kinfukan) is still around.

The other one comes from Anhui province in China.

 

The last one (looks like a seal) says

横一氏　

Yokoichi (Mr.)

All three of those photos of the ink stick are of one ink stick, so perhaps this one was made for that company in China. A special order with a seal, maybe? In any case, I love these little details. Thanks for the help.

[Bazza]

We are blessed with expertise.

 

BaZZa.

[Brian]

I have to find a way to reward these folks who do so much for us!  

 

[SteveM]

Some web-surfing turned up a bit more information regarding the ink stick. The manufacturer of the stick is Hu Kai Wen (胡開文), a firm that still exists, in the Huizhou District of Anhui. From reading about it, it seems it is a high-quality ink, and the owner must have been a serious student of calligraphy. Kinfukan (金不換), which I mistook for a Japanese brand, is a Chinese phrase that means precious (or, literally, "better than money", "non-exchangeable, even with money"). I don't think this was a special made-to-order ink, but it makes me curious as to the journey it took from China to Yamagata. 

 

Edit: 徽 instead of 微

 

 

 

Reading about this company, it seems to be really unique. I leave some links here because they talk a bit about the factory and the ink. 

 

https://www.chinadiscovery.com/anhui/huangshan/hu-kaiwen-ink-factory.html

 

https://www.inkston.com/stories/people/hu-kai-wen/

 

For Brian, I can only speak for myself, but helping and being helped here on NMB is its own reward. If I can get occasional tips like the above from Moriyama-san, or Morita-san, it makes it all the more worthwhile. Viva NMB. 

[Katsujinken]

Wow, this is so fantastic. Thank you so much!

[DoTanuki yokai]

I bought something with similar ink stick some weeks ago on amazon.

Its a cheap chinese calligraphy set.