hi there iam new on here. I have just picked up a sword that has been in the family for years, apparently was taken from a soldier in new guinea. I was hoping someone my be able to translate the signature for me hopefully ther pictures will be ok, not much of a photographer. |
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Kanetake?
The smith's name is Kane-something. The 'something' looks like TAKE or JOU (old Nelson #151), but I could be wrong.
The first two kanji look like "Kiyotake".
Pete
any idea what the lobster is
any idea what the lobster is about i have looked a bit online but cannot find much thanks for the start
shrimp
I'd say it's a shrimp, not a lobster.
Just one of many common figures in Japanese art.
Pete
some more pictures
just added some more pics. might sound like a stupid question but which way do u read the signature blade up or down to the blade. also does anyone know if this signature has a date in it. thanks guys
correction
You read it with the tip pointing upwards.
There's no date.
Disregard what I said about the first two being "Kiyotake" - I was mistaken.
The whole thing is:
JIMMU FUSATSU TAKAYAMA TOu KANETAKE SAKU.
"Jimmu" was the first emperor of Japan.
"Jimmu fusatsu" might be a patriotic slogan.
"Saku" means "made (by)".
"Takayama" might refer to a place name(?). It is also a common family name.
One of your new pictures appears to show a stamp in the tang, probably a "Seki stamp". It's common on blades made during WWII.
Pete