Old heirloom (?) tsuba translation request

[Deez77]

I have what appears to be a Kinai tsuba that was a family heirloom and was damaged in a fire caused by an earthquake. That's all I could really get out of Google translate. 

 

Would someone be kind enough to provide a line-by-line translation of the top and bottom of the lid?

 

Top

 

Bottom

 

Tsuba

 

Many thanks in advance 

 

Damon

Edited April 19 by Deez77
Typo

[Nobody]

林家の家宝 – A heirloom of Hayashi family

二郎記 – Jiro wrote

鉄鐔 – Iron tsuba

越前記内作 – Echizen Kinai made

 

 

此初午の鐔は越前福井藩士林左治衛所持の刀の鐔なり – This hatsuuma tsuba was used for the katana of 林左治衛 (reasing?) who was a retainer of Fukui-han in Echizen.

大正大震災にて土蔵焼け落ち焼跡より□見せし品なり – At the great earthquake disaster in Taisho era, this was found among the debris of burnt down storehouse.

昭和乙卯 – Showa Kinoto-U (1975)

林越奈記 – Hayashi Etsuna? (unsure) wrote

[SteveM]

possibly    散見せ　

[Nobody]

21 minutes ago, SteveM said:

possibly    散見せ　

 

I am unsure. Actually I tend to read 発見せし.

[SteveM]

Yes, that would make more sense. 

[Deez77]

Thank you very much for the assistance, that is extremely helpful. Google translates the samurai name as "Hayashi Sajie" but I presume there are multiple ways it could be read?

 

There are plenty of pages on the hatsu-uma festival/celebration, but this one (https://www.nippon.c...Japan-topics/c11802/) notes many of the symbols featured in the tsuba itself.

 

Who knows if the information captured on the box is at all legitimate, but it does make for some interesting research.

 

Damon

[Spartancrest]

On 4/19/2024 at 9:46 PM, Deez77 said:

heirloom damaged in a fire

  Does the description give any reference to the hobby horse on the tsuba?  Kitsune don't wear bridle and reins.

[Deez77]

Thanks Dale, 

 

I believe the horse is related to when the hatsu-uma takes place. Here's something I found on how to calculate it:

   "

Hatsu-uma (初午) refers to the first day of the Horse in February. It is a significant festival celebrated at Inari Shrines across Japan. Let me share some details about it:

• Zodiac Calculation: To determine the date of Hatsu-uma, the zodiac signs are used. The 12 zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, and Wild Boar. Starting with the zodiac animal for January 1st, you count in order. For example, if January 1st is the Chicken, then January 2nd is the Dog, 3rd is the Wild Boar, and so on. The Horse is the 10th zodiac sign from the Monkey.

The subjects in the tsuba seem to represent many items associated with the celebration (and with matsuri in general)...and include:

 - kitsune mask

 - spinning top 

 - toy horse 

 - wooden placard with fox symbols 

 - flag and pole

 - (possibly) some kind of bamboo item worn at the waist 

 - taiko drum

 

I found some interesting woodblock images of hatsuuma celebrations with various items (from the link I shared in my previous post). 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, in interesting piece with a (possibly) interesting story and some noticeable (fire?) damage that doesn't concern me as I'm not a reseller.

 

I am interested in trying to figure out the names mentioned in the 'story' to see if that is something that could be traced. It would seem the story was written/documented in the box in 1975, some 50+ years after the great earthquake...possibly based on a recounting by someone who would have had first hand knowledge from that time. 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

It's not often you get some additional information/story to accompany a piece.

 

Anyway, thanks a lot for the interest and contribution.

 

Damon

[Deez77]

Here are a couple of additional images.

 

 

Damon

[Bugyotsuji]

The last knobbly object seems to be a bamboo muchi (whip).

 

[Deez77]

Thanks piers... I found it, Muchi (鞭).

[Bugyotsuji]

Nice collection of objects in a tsuba. 

[Deez77]

45 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Nice collection of objects in a tsuba. 

Thank you Piers...and agreed. Pretty interesting motif that I've never seen from this school...so likely a custom order. Too bad about the damage as I'm sure the details would have been very nice. 

 

Damon

[Deez77]

I also realized the banners appear to have been carved with 'ha tsu u ma' (はつうま) or something like that as well. 

 

Easier to see when enhanced. What do you think? 

 

Damon

[SteveM]

I think you are right. It could be some hentaigana for つ and う (too hard to see clearly, but maybe 川 for つ). う is too hard to see, but from the others, and the overall theme, I think you've nailed it. 

 

 

This is the earthquake and fire that the box mentions

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kantō_earthquake

[Deez77]

 

On 4/23/2024 at 5:28 PM, SteveM said:

I think you are right. It could be some hentaigana for つ and う (too hard to see clearly, but maybe 川 for つ). う is too hard to see, but from the others, and the overall theme, I think you've nailed it. 

 

 

This is the earthquake and fire that the box mentions

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kantō_earthquake

Thank you Steve. Can you share your source for the stylistic writing examples?

 

Damon 

[SteveM]

The hentaigana I took that screen grab from, comes from the page below. Its the one I use most often. 

http://www.book-seis...jp/kana/onjun_1.html

 

[k morita]

Hi,

In the Edo period, hatsu-uma was written as hatsumuma(はつむま) and pronounced as hatsuuma(はつうま).
Therefore, the flag has the words "Hatsumuma　はつむま" written on it.

 

 

 

 

[Deez77]

Thank you Steve and Morita-san. I really appreciate it.

 

Regarding the Hayashi family member names mentioned in the story, are there various ways to read these: 

1. 林左治衛

2. 林越奈

 

Thank you all.

 

Damon

[SteveM]

I agree with Moriyama-san about 林越奈 (Hayashi Etsuna)

林左治衛 intuitively I would think its Hayashi Sajie.

 

 

[Deez77]

On 4/26/2024 at 1:47 AM, k morita said:

Hi,

In the Edo period, hatsu-uma was written as hatsumuma(はつむま) and pronounced as hatsuuma(はつうま).
Therefore, the flag has the words "Hatsumuma　はつむま" written on it.

 

 

 

 

Thanks again Morita-san. With just the right light, you are able to clearly see that you hit the nail right on the head! It also appears to be written in a kind of cursive, and you can see the chisel lines connecting the characters.

 

Damon

Edited April 29 by Deez77
Fixed typo

[k morita]

Tnx  for ur posting.

 

As per previous post,

はつむま　(hatsuuma/hatsu-uma)  Hatsu-uma refers to the first day of the horse in February.)　初午