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: Character on the left is usually read as "bun", (also could be read as "mon", "fumi", or "aya-").  By itself, it usually refers to ideas of a letter or writing.  Character on the right is usually read as "ichi" (also could be read as "itsu" or "hito"); in a name, as the first character, it is often contracted to "I-" (as in "Ichi-kan" becomes "Ikkan"); in a name as the second character, it becomes "-kazu" - I don't know why, it just seems to.  Ichi is the number "one" (in counting), and is related to "one" or "one-ness" used in combination.  As a signature, the placement in your photo is sort of non-standard: signatures on netsukes and okimonos, etc., are almost invariably arranged vertically, not horizontally.  Be that as it may, I was unable to find any carvers with that combination of characters in the several Japanese art reference books I have.

: Eric Knudson



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