Mei Translation

[LDR]

Hello to everyone,

I am collector to Japanese swords, and so have very limited knowledge...though i am trying to learn!

 

I recently picked up a 60cm sword (so presume its a Wakizashi). I was told its a 17th century blade, and has a signature. I have 3 day inspection.

 

Can anyone give their opinions on the signature? Who is it? Is it real etc?

 

Thank you and i look forward to your comments.

 

Lewis

[mike yeon]

Do you have pictures?

[LDR]

Hi,

i did attach one. Not sure where its gone. I will try again.

 

Think it was too big, this should now work.

 

Thanks

 

Lewis

[John A Stuart]

Hi LDR. I could only translate this part the other kanji I'm not sure.

Echizen ju ? no Kami Fujiwara Sada?

I flipped the pic so others can read it easier. John

[LDR]

John,

Thanks for the quick reply, and thank you for flipping the picture. I didnt realise the signature went the other way!

 

Can you explain what the translation you have give is, also which signs mean what?

 

Thanks

 

Lewis

[John A Stuart]

Hi, Here is the breakdown. The (no) does not actually exist in the signature but is added by convention. The other kanji are too degraded for me. John

[LDR]

Thanks again John, very helpful.

 

Do you know anything about this maker? What time period he made swords from etc?

 

Thanks

 

Lewis

[John A Stuart]

Well, Lewis, That last missing kanji is crucial for ID. Without it I don't know the smith it is. So, then I can not look for oshigata that may verify it could be so and so smith. Someone may decipher it. I had thought Sadatsugu but am not sure. John

 

PS Can you post pics of the rest of the blade? J.

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi Lewis,the Mei reads "Echizen ju Hyaga (no) Kami Fujiwara Sadatsugu".There are 2 in Hawley's index,probably father and son:

SAD 747 rating 30 (!) worked around 1661(Kanbun era)

SAD 747 rating 15 worked around 1688(Genroku era)

Ludolf

[Ludolf Richter]

The 2nd Sadatsugu is SAD 748.Sorry.Ludolf

[John A Stuart]

Hi Ludolf. I was not sure on the tsugu kanji. Here is the Fujishiro oshigata for this Sadatsugu. Looks damn close. John

[LDR]

Thanks guys this is great! Very interesting. Is the whole signature one name? Seems like a long name!

 

Also can i ask what SAD is?

 

Is there any way to tell whether it was father or son who made it?

 

Would anyone like to see more pictures of the blade itself?

 

Thanks again,

 

lewis

[John A Stuart]

Hi Lewis, It is not all a name. It means ' Place of residence Echizen, titled Lord of Hyaga, honourific Fujiwara, smith name Sadatsugu'. The SAD with number that Ludolf quoted are just the system used to codify the smiths in listform, like in a library. John

[LDR]

John, thank you again for the information. You have been very helpful.

 

Is there any tell tale signs to say whether this signature is fake or not?

 

Lewis

[Ludolf Richter]

I am quite sure it's not made by (the probable shodai )SAD 747.For SAD 748 I do not have any mei-pic.Your mei looks as if someone tried to fake the one of SAD 747,who at that time was known as very good swordsmith.Ludolf

[Nobody]

The pronounciation of 日向 is not Hyaga but Hyuga.

[LDR]

Thanks Ludolf.

 

I will post some pictures of the whole blade tomorrow, perhaps people could give their opinion on the whole piece, and whether its likely to be 17th century or not, and whether to keep it or not.

I hope you can help as i only have a 3 day inspection period.

 

Thanks!

 

Lewis

[Henry Wilson]

You should ask the seller if he thinks the signature is real or not.

[LDR]

Here are some pictures of the blade. Not the best pictures, but i will take some scans later.

If the signature is fake, when is this likely to have been added? Is the blade still 17th century and the fake signature added when it was made? Or is the blade more likely modern, and the signature added say in the 1900s?

What sort of value you would put on the blade, with real signature and with fake signature?

Thanks,

 

Lewis

[LDR]

MOre pics

[LDR]

Last pics, Thanks