Taisho Enthronement Commemorative Medal - Translation pls

[okw44]

Hi guys,
I have thismedal in my collection and I have some writings on the box.
I would like to ask your help to translate this.
Many thanks,

[GHP]

大正五年二月廿九日＊＊
Taisho 5th year [1916], February 29th ＊＊

福島久之
Fukushima Hisayuki

HOWEVER .... I do not trust this attribution as it is written by someone unfamiliar with Japanese/Chinese writing*. My suspicion is that it is written by an American/Westerner. I have no clue as to the two kanji I've designated by ＊＊; perhaps Yoshiyuki-san can make out what they are supposed to be.

-- Guy

* Either that or his calligraphy is embarassingly bad -- I can write with a brush better than that, and I've not studied calligraphy.

[GHP]

Here's a comparrison from GMIC; note the date is Taisho 4. I would think anyone worthy of receiving one of these medals would have a better handwriting than that shown on your box.

大正四年十一月十日
御即位式紀念
今月十七日信、即
饗饌縣會議
事堂於賜

According to Nick Komiya, "...memo from the Decorations Bureau dated 27th February 1919 stated that they would be wrapping up delivery of the medal as of 31st March 1919..." Therefore, the date of *your* medal receipt is well within the issuing date. If your medal also had the certificate, then even if I wrote the attribution, at least we'd know it was correct. As it is now, you have no way of ascertaining whether or not the date and recipient is correct.


-- Guy

[okw44]

Thank you so much, it helps a lot.

[rabbit indy]

Hi Guy,

Great job!!
It's amazing that you can read kanji perfectly.


yoshiyuki

[GHP]

Hi Guy,

Great job!!
It's amazing that you can read kanji perfectly.

yoshiyuki

Thank you, Yoshiyuki-san. __m__( _ _ )__m__

Sometimes (many times!) I have to build the kanji by radical because I can read only about 1,000 kanji.

The original poster's box has two kanji I cannot make out because I think they are not properly written. Can you read the two kanji in the white circle below?


-- Guy

[rabbit indy]

拝受？

受 was written by cursive script.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive_script_(East_Asia)


拝受 is a humble word meaning ”receiving”.


yoshiyuki

[GHP]

拝受？

受 was written by cursive script.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive_script_(East_Asia)

拝受 is a humble word meaning ”receiving”.

Thank you! What is your opinion of the writing? 拝 has an extra stroke on the te-radical.


-- Guy

[rabbit indy]

The person who wrote this character is not very good at writing.
He may have miswritten te-radical or the bounce at third may look like an extra bar. In any case, I think the letters are 拝受.

yoshiyuki

[imperialjapan]

Also, to be fair, the person is writing on wood, not on the pasteboard as shown in the other example. Wood is less forgiving... And not everyone can write beautifully in any case. IMO, it is legitimate.

[GHP]

Also, to be fair, the person is writing on wood, not on the pasteboard as shown in the other example. Wood is less forgiving... And not everyone can write beautifully in any case. IMO, it is legitimate.

Thanks Rich.

Between Yoshiyuki and you, the original poster can now be certain of the recipient's name and date.

OKW44: sorry for being such a curmudgeon about calligraphy.
Rich, Heads-up: I sent an email to your site address on 5 May.


-- Guy

[chen]

Thank you! What is your opinion of the writing? 拝 has an extra stroke on the te-radical.


-- Guy

.

[rabbit indy]

Hello chen,

Yes you are correct!
"拜" is the old letter of "拝" (the one used before).

yoshiyuki