Bugyotsuji

You are right to be suspicious, but can still be used as part of a background display, or use for the village festival, hang in the hall, etc.

John, thanks, yes, the idea of a name was foremost in my mind, and the second character kept open that possibility, but no combination with that badly-scratched first character gave me a likely name. In my gut I feel the first is 制, with the bottom left 巾 'balloon' part stretched too far to the right (slip of the nail?), and two upright 'blade' strokes becoming a circular flourish. I would be happy for someone to step in and point out something else. If not a name, then an alternative of a description or designation presented itself, i.e. 'safety catch' or 'safety mechanism'. Unfortunately I cannot be sure of anything without more input on that first kanji.

Long before ever buying anything, I joined the local NBTHK branch in Japan, and attended their meetings for several years. In those days it was mostly old men who spoke little, listening only to the Sensei explaining what he had brought. No one brought their own blades, even if they had any. Maybe some did, but that would have been a secret. When I put up my hand to ask a question, people turned around and stared, but I noticed the teacher seemed eager to answer. Some evenings when I kept my mouth shut, (as I had been advised by my elders and betters), he would ask me afterwards if I was all right. He encouraged me to ask freely, relieved at the give-and-take, and the sound of someone else's voice. Gradually over the years the older members faded away and dropped out and younger ones, male and female, came and joined. Even so, none seemed to want to possess their own blade. They were there to learn. When I questioned this, it was pointed out that the more they learned the higher they aspired, but at the same time the more financially distant those good blades became. A friend who had once been a member in the old system seemed to take almost twisted delight in the fact that members never actually bought anything. Eventually I was able to asure him that in reality people were now beginning to buy blades of their own. And they are. Thus it is that in Japan at least I would say that sword collecting is, to some extent, not over but changing in nature, and beginning anew.

There is a Chinese word 制安, but since I do not have my Chinese dictionaries with me, I am not sure what it means.　 (Safety?)

At certain angles the second one looks like -yasu. 安 矩安…(?)

I sense that ‘not near to us’ does not really convey the Japanese word ‘rusu’. Someone is ‘rusu’, i.e. out of the house, not at home, (far) away, but their absence is felt. They are actually near to us (me) in spirit if not physically. And ‘hito’ often conveys someone close or dear to the one writing the poem. Even possibly one who has passed away. Spoken with poise and composure but hiding a deep connection and longing.

The NTHK paperwork likes the ubu nakago, and talks generally about large numbers of such blades being made by the Sukesada smiths in the Sengoku period, this one 'late Muromachi' but is unwilling to specify further in any way. (The other local certificate simply records, stating that this is a faithful record of the blade and Mei.) You can spend hours and hours and hours in large sword databases comparing styles of Sukesada Mei etc., but when you come up for fresh air it is rare that you will be further enlightened. A glimmering picture may be forming in your mind, however. The blade patterns can also help.

A branch of Umetada still using the old kanji 埋 for Ume? (Not clear about this in my own mind.)

The inverted silver and brass inlays (plus crossbar) look like one of the 本 Kamon, e.g. for Honda. I have a couple of examples: And

The (female, not male) maedate will need a suitably-sized slot for insertion of the tsunomoto. People often go for big fancy flashy maedate, but there is a school of thought that this can detract from the kabuto, so small and economical could be the way to go. BTW, it’s not just linseed oil, but the much harder to source boiled linseed oil.

The Kakki 活鬼 story is related in the 流水山縁起 Ryusuizan Engi, with an English outline provided in this link. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1390854139458141184

If anyone is interested, this is the little story I found concerning those ‘Kakki’ 活鬼 active ogres, about a group who appeared in Kōzuke, Jo-Shū, (Gunma). The army of the imperial court set out to subdue them, protected by the talisman of Senju Kannon. Somehow for me it fits nicely, but maybe it’s romantic hogwash.

祐光 Sukemitsu also might be possible…(?)

Agreeing generally with Uwe’s thoughtful comments above. There are two things you can do to improve the overall appearance of this venerable kabuto. 1. You can find a similar colour of fine string and thread it through in three (or five) places in order to reattach the shikoro. This will not damage anything, it will look better, and a professional restorer can simply remove it if ever you decide to get it properly relaced. 2. The lacquer was there to prevent rusting. Now there is dusty (active) red rust overall but it needs stabilizing. Ian Bottomley at Leeds Royal Armouries taught us all how to prepare a mixture of ‘boiled linseed oil’ and a little ‘white spirit’. If you apply it once and wipe it off a day or so later, much of the rusty dusty will come with it, and the base iron will deepen in colour. Rub with cotton cloth. Repeat as necessary until the bowl looks splendid. The magic mixture will also perform the protective duty of the original lacquer.

Need more shots under different-angled lighting