Naginata Mei translation help needed

[pt1093]

Hello,

     I just received my new purchase today, a naginata.  Help would be appreciated with the mei and general thoughts on this item.  

[xiayang]

筑前國住善雅 = Chikuzen no Kuni-jū Yoshimasa

 

Here's what Markus Sesko says about him in Swordsmiths of Japan:

 

Quote

YOSHIMASA (吉政), 1st gen., Kan ́ei (寛永, 1624-1644), Chikuzen – “Minamoto Nobukuni Yoshimasa saku” (源信国吉政作), “Chikuzen no Kuni Minamoto Nobukuni Heishirō Yoshimasa saku” (筑前国源信国平四郎吉政作), “Chikuzen-jū Nobukuni Yoshimasa” (筑前住信国善雅), real name Nobukuni Sukezaemon (信国助左衛門), he changed his first name later to Heishirō (平四郎), he was the oldest son and successor of the 1st gen. Yoshisada (吉貞), his lord Kuroda Nagamasa (黒田長政, 1568-1623) sent him according to tradition in the second year of Genna (元和, 1616) at the age of 26 to Bizen to learn the Ichimonji style from Sukemune (助宗), that means Yoshimasa worked altogether in three styles, that is to say also in the Yamashiro and the Sōshū styles which he had learned from his father, but it is said that his acquiring of the Bizen style was against the plans of his father Yoshisada and so he was disinherited and had to leave the succession of the Chikuzen-Nobukuni lineage to his younger brother Yoshitsugu (吉次), in later years he changed the characters of his name Yoshimasa to (善雅), he died on the fourth day of the twelfth month Jōō two (承応, 1653), he was famous for his naginata which were called “Heishirō-naginata” within the Kuroda family, dense ko-itame mixed with mokume, fine ji-nie and masame im shinogi-ji, the hamon is a suguha, gunome-midare or a slanting ko-chōji in ko-nie-deki

 

[pt1093]

Jan,

     Since your reply, I have had my naginata foundation polished for submittal to the 2024 NTHK East Coast Shinsa, which it passed with a Kanteisho 70 pt. rating.  However, the worksheet (see attached) has a different mei cited "Chikuzen no Kuni ju Yoshimori", along with the different era Kanbun listed.  I am having trouble finding a Yoshimori swordsmith listing from this era.

2024 Shinsa.pdf

[gordpete]

Hi Paul,

 

This is Gordon Robson, the shinsa team member who mistranslated this signature. We could not find this signature in the Meikan and believed he was an unlisted smith. I will contact our shinsa team members in Japan and have the period of activity changed from Kanbun to Kanei. The signature on the worksheet is correct, just the translation was an error. Sorry for the confusion and thank you for bringing this to my attention.

[pt1093]

Gordon, 

   Thank you for the prompt reply and attention to this matter.

 

 

[Brian]

Gordon,
Thanks for taking the time to pop in and clarify. You guys (as always) are doing great work. I have fond memories of meeting you waaay back at the DTI Yakatabune event along with Guido and others.

[gordpete]

Paul, you are most welcome. Brian, many thanks for the kind words. We will be at the DTI again this year along with the Yakatabune event.

 

[pt1093]

Gordon,

  Will this have an impact on the rating now that the correct smith has been identified?

[gordpete]

Paul, I would expect that the rating would remain the same, but I will check. It is still very early in the morning in Japan so it will take some time to get an answer back.

[pt1093]

Gordon,

   I understand, no hurry.  My query was based on the assumption that the rating system took into account the level or importance of the smith. 

[gordpete]

Hi Paul, yes it does and as a result we are changing the points to 75. This is also based on the rareness of this signature.

 

Gordon

[pt1093]

Gordon, Thanks again!