Jeffm

Thanks so much for the replies. It is appreciated, and this confirms my uneducated guesses (hence the subject line "troublesome"...). Great forum!

So you're thinking it's gimei? Don't be shy about your opinion; it's what I value about this forum.

Fantastic; thanks so much for the responses. That third character was definitely the problem. The wak is solid and well-made with tight grain and a clean temperline, and the nakago has very solid old chocolate-brown patina. I just wonder if some of the more complex characters were reduced to "short-hand" on some signatures. Gimei could be a possibility too, of course. Thanks again! This is a great forum!

Folks: I'm new to the forum but a long-time collector and enthusiast. This mei (below) is on a healthy wak with tight grain; it's certainly several hundred years old, but probably not Koto. Any ideas on the signature? Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide! -Jeff