Dating on Japanese scroll - I've given up

[sabiji]

Usually this is my "favorite sport". But this time I gave up.
Maybe someone has more experience ...
I cannot assign the first two Kanji to any Nengo I know. Then comes the 9th (year), then Kinoe Inu, then the Kanji for year, then?, Month ??
Thank you in advance!

 

[Mark S.]

The dating may have something to do with the Chinese zodiac system (which you seem to have recognized?).  Sorry, I have no idea how it works or how to read it, but for example the 5th character down could be one of the 12 Signs: INU / Dog (which you mention) or one of the 10 Stems: Tsuchinoye??????  Beyond that, I'm going to have to let some very experienced people answer.  I apologize if I am just reiterating what you already know.

[sabiji]

Hi Mark, yes Kinoe Inu in the 9th year of the era ??.
The dating can't be that old, and most of the younger Nengo are less than 9 years. And if it does, the kanji don't match. It doesn't make sense to me.

[Markus]

Hi Thomas. Long time, no see!

 

The date reads:

昭龢九甲戌年霜月上浣

Shōwa kyū kinoe-inudoshi shimotsuki jōkan

"First third of the eleventh month of Shōwa nine (1934), year of the dog."

 

The nengō is written with a very uncommon variant of the WA (和) character (see below).

 

龢

 

 

[sabiji]

Hi Markus,
yes, it was a long time ago indeed. I hope to see you sometime, somewhere again.
I am all the more pleased about your help. I had already flirted with the Kanji "Sho", but I just couldn't explain Kanji 2 anymore.
Does this unusual "wa" mean the same as the "simple form"?
Thank you very much, Markus!

[Markus]

Yes, meaning and reading/pronunciation is the same.