Need a 4th Opinion on a Mei, Please!

[Bruce Pennington]

Getting mixed opinions in this mei. I’d appreciate hearing from our favorite translators, I you wouldn’t mind. Mainly the second mei.

[ghp95134]

帝国刃物株式会社石徳調之
Teikoku Ha-mono Kabushikigaisha Ishitoku Shirabe-yuki???
Imperial Sword Co., Ltd. Ishitoku Shirabe

I cannot find a smith named 石徳 "Ishitoku" on Google or in Marcus Sesko's book.......
Wifie says 調之 is a given name. "That's the way I read 石徳調之", says she.

I asked if 調之 could be "prepared this" and she didn't think so; but ... she's not an expert in swords, etc. -- I had to explain to her that 刕 is the same as 州.

I think you'll need a 5th opinion.

-- Guy

Edit: 調 has several pronunciations .... naturally. 之 can also be "yuki" as a given name ... so, what (IF a given name!) are our possibilities? Tsugiyuki?

I hate all this guessing .......... I guess. (I need a drink right about now)

[Bruce Pennington]

Well ...... that explains the mixed opinions over at NMB! I'll do some digging. I know I've seen guys with double mei, where the second one is said to be the polisher's mei. Maybe I can find some commonality. If not, it might indicate this is really a name.

Thanks Guy!

[ghp95134]

... I know I've seen guys with double mei, where the second one is said to be the polisher's mei. Maybe I can find some commonality. If not, it might indicate this is really a name.

Bruce, I don't think it's like that --- smith & polisher. I think either it is:
1. Smith's name (have seen this before where his real family name precedes his art name
2. It's not a name but actually means "Prepared by".

[Bruce Pennington]

Same reaction at NMB, Guy, don't feel bad!

George Trotter just pointed out the extra stroke on the "石" and thought it odd.

[Bruce Pennington]

Ok, The first pic is two blades with double mei, where the second mei is the polisher. You'll not that in both cases, the last kanji are just names. So, MAYBE, this one is a name, not "made by". The second is another collection of shop mei from the Hattori Shop, but they don't have second mei.

[ghp95134]

...George Trotter just pointed out the extra stroke on the "石" and thought it odd.

Yeah, I've not seen that before -- that extra stroke is part of the second, downward, stroke. I think it is just stylistic of the carver; maybe to fill out the top portion of stroke #2:


-- Guy

[Nick Komiya]

I beg to differ from Guy's wife's opinion that the last two characters represent a first name. Instead I read it as 帝国刃物株式会社石徳之を調ず。
However, 之を調ず may either mean "this was made by" or "this was presented as a gift by" . 調 used to mean a gift presented to a person of higher status. Because of the company name so prominently featured, I lean toward this being a presentation piece from an Ishitoku, manager or such of that company.

[ghp95134]

I beg to differ from Guy's wife's opinion ...

HA! You just reinforced MY opinion!!!

I asked if 調之 could be "prepared this" and she didn't think so; but ... she's not an expert in swords, etc. -- I had to explain to her that 刕 is the same as 州.

THANK YOU NICK!!!
-- Guy

[Bruce Pennington]

Ok, that 6th opinion just tipped the scales! Thanks Nick and Guy. Not my sword, but helping out a freind.

Happy Father's day to you both!