A novel on a kozuka back for translation

[Kurikata]

Hi,

 

I know that I am demanding a lot in this case... A least who has signed the kozuka and what is globally the story/poem on this kozuka?

 

Thank oyu

 

Bruno

[Toryu2020]

Can you provide a close up of the first three or four kanji in the first line?

-t

[Kurikata]

Hi Thomas,

the kozuka is on its way to Europe from the US. One's arrived at home, I'll post more precise pictures.

Thank you for your interest.

 

[Kurikata]

Here it is , Kozuka is in my hands. I guess the poem or text might be a kind of "Tale of Genji" story or something similar.

 

Any help on this will be more than welcome.

 

Thank you

 

Bruno

[Kurikata]

Bump

[SteveM]

Signature could be 秀現斎 (Shūgensai). 

 

A search for the same artist turns up a page with the following photo:

As you can see, the composition is similar, the material is similar. Unfortunately the signature on the photo is too low-res to see.

The back of yours would be a waka poem, I think. Could be from Genji, or one of the other classical sources.  

All credits to the original site: https://www.leomax.co.jp/koramu/naka06.html

[SteveM]

I think it an excellent kozuka, by the way. 

[Kurikata]

Steve,

 

I was desperate , knowing the difficulty to translate such kanji, the way they are sculpted. (I even , sometimes, does not succeed in re-reading what I had written the previous day!)

 

A GREAT THANK YOU TO YOU!

 

Haynes mentions Hirosada (弘貞) from Mito school signing 秀現斎 (Shūgensai). - H 01386.0. Regarding some exemples in Hawkshaw (Page 182) I think it might match and this artisit was discussed in this thread some years ago :