Certificate Translation Assistance

[Dependazelle]

Hi, All:

 

I’m new here. I recently fulfilled a long time goal of purchasing an antique sword. I am working my way through translating the  certificate that came with the sword. The portion of the forum for commonly used characters has been invaluable. I’ve been able to translate “wakizashi” and what I think is “Bishu Osafune Sukemitsu” (basically just confirming what was on the sales label) but I can’t quite figure out what is in the parenthesis between the two words. Any help on this specific question, and on interpreting certificates in general, would be much appreciated. 
 

Pictures included for reference. 
 

I studied history in undergrad and I love digging into the details of things like this, so any guidance on additional background historical references would be very welcome. I’ve had tremendous fun already. 
 

Kind regards,

 

Richard S. 

[John C]

Hello:

According to google app, the phrase is "framed inscription."

As to general info on origami, here is a good reference:

http://www.nihontocr...se_sword_papers.html

 

John C.

[Bugyotsuji]

額銘 reads Gakumei, quite a rare occurrence, so you do not often see these kanji. The gaku refers to the frame (gaku) of a picture.

 

When the nakago tang is cut short, but you wish to preserve the original mei, it can be removed and inserted into the remaining section of nakago.

[Dependazelle]

John: thank you for the link! It’s very helpful. 
 

Piers: thank you for explaining the meaning behind the phrase. That is fascinating and answers a question I had about the “framed” signature. I’ve read a little about the practice of shortening the tang. I think it’s interesting that they wanted to preserve the original mei. Would there have been a particular reason for doing that?

[Bugyotsuji]

Richard, whoever either ordered or performed the work felt that the Mei was genuine and worth keeping with the blade, on its original steel.

 

Often the Mei (or part of it) was lost forever, which was probably not considered important at the time but can be quite frustrating for later generations. Just the other day for example, a friend showed me a lovely probably shinshinto blade signed something like "Bizen Osafune Suke......................." and there it was cut off.

So, would that be Sukenaga? Sukekane? 

[Dependazelle]

Piers, I can’t imagine how much was inadvertently lost when the mei was removed. I found an interesting article on suriage. It looks like this could be an example of gaku-mei (I think I spelled that right) as the mei seems to be on a plate embedded in the tang. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Just remember Richard there was at least one other way this could be done, called an Orikaeshi-mei. Ori-kaeshi is two words, bend + return. Usually the Mei inscription while still attached is bent back around and affixed up to the other side of the nakago end; in an ideal world the u-bend incorporates a tiny hole wide enough to pass a pin through.

[Dependazelle]

Piers, that’s good point! Thinking about this a bit more, if it was Orikaeshi-mei, and the mei were bent back back around to the other side, would that result in the Mei being inverted?

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes Richard, there's an example of an orikaeshi mei 2/3rd down this page, with a red felt background. (Interestingly it was originally called an *Orimawashi Mei.)

健全な刀の見分け方｜刀箱師の日本刀ブログ　中村圭佑 (note.com)

 

*And

あさひ刀剣 (asahitoken.jp)

因みに、「折返銘」とは近代の呼称であり、江戸時代では必ず「折廻銘・（おりまわしめい）」とされてきた。本阿弥家の代付・極・折紙などについては正式・正確に伝えるものがないとされてきたが、それらの概要を書いた江戸後期の筆写本『随筆　東鑑（あづまかがみ）』（林成方・林成庸著）という本がある。これは、村上孝介先生の『剣掃文庫』旧蔵・〈現（公財）日本美術刀剣保存協会蔵〉であるが、その『随筆　東鑑』には色々な事を述べていて（『本阿弥家の人々』参照）、特に折返銘について・・・

「古来より有之、摺上（すりあげ）べき物を摺上ずして折廻したるは必（かならず）偽物也。これ都（すべ）て折返し銘といはざる事は、返の字、婚礼忌む故、引出物等の上を勘弁して、今、札（下札）併折紙に折廻しと記す也」とある。

[Dependazelle]

Piers, thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions and explain things. I’ve learned a great deal!