Mark

Masahiro from Seki in Mino Province, not sure the personal name i would have to look it up. Not traditionally made, probably oil tempered Showato

it looks like there is a line on the blade by the habaki showing the habaki has been moved a bit. maybe someone tried to remove the handle without taking out the peg. That might be jamming the peg, try a gentle tap on the end of the tsuka with the palm of your hand with the blade pointing up, try to reseat the blade in the tsuka then remove the peg

Steve and Uwe Thanks for the information, makes sense now, i appreciate it and will try to remember this if i ever see it again mark

thanks. what does 切手 mean? I try to translate and get " postage stamp" or Kitte "off hand" i am sure it has some meaning i don't know. Steve yes part of a test but in the spot where i usually expect the date

Can you help read these 2 kanji please. I think i see ____ Uma so i am thinking a zodiac date but i can't match the first kanji with anything that makes sense. any thoughts appreciated Thanks!!! Mark

i don't see a picture? Maybe you are adding later?

you would think a price tag might have been removed when purchased, or at least not put on in such a way that seems to make it sort of permanent.. strange

there is no Omi.... Hizen Kuni Ju Nin Tadayoshi

looks to my eye that it is signed Bizen not BiShu

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Saumari-Sword-Original/362480261143?hash=item546581d817:g:Nb4AAOSwwSJb4cwy:rk:1:pf:0

i just listed one on ebay. you can check it out and get what you need, if i did not show what you need let me know nixe@bright.net https://www.ebay.com/itm/223218926465?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

it looks genuine. i have seem this type of horimono a number of times. i do not think only one smith or group did it so as far as i know you can not attribute it from this

yes Showa 19 first month

says Kanemitsu (makes name)

i agree with Ray

someone has defaced the makers name, the first kanji is not readable but i think it is Omi (no) Kami Minamoto Hisamichi forum rules say you need to sign with your name (at least first)

the papers don't give any indication that i see........... So if they say Kanenori with those kanji then i think the Kanenori from Mino Seki circa 1504, he is in Fujishiro and most of the minor ones aren't, i would think if they meant one of the Echizen, etchu or Shinto they would have said. My understanding is if they say a smith without additional info they mean the "main" or major guy......

#1 looks Shinshinto someone working in Bizen Den so Korekazu circa 1860 #2 Looks Shinto maybe Yamato school. Kiju circa 1700-1720 #3 Appears Koto maybe late 1400's hamon is difficult to pick up, Shimada

ha-ha Grey beat me too it. not sure about the Saku.. Guess that makes sense but the Kuni looks a bit different. Could it be No Shu Seki Kanesumi? maybe i am way out in left field

i think No Shu

yes, looks like copper with shakudo foil. There is some school of thought that a shakudo habaki is a bad sign

Paul can you give us a reference (book and page) where we could find the oshigata you need? I went to the JSS/US index (that Grey Doffin produced) and it only lists the Old Tomonari and a gendai smith using different kanji. Grey used all the common books we use in his index and as there is no listing for the Settsu Tomonari it seems he did not make it into any of the books he indexed. So other than searching obscure books looking for an oshigata (that would take hours or days of work) we would need some type of lead on where you expect to find it. Let us know where to look and i am sure someone will post it but it is not fair to expect us to conjure it up or spend hours searching

it is signed tachi-mei. based on that and the quality of the inscription i would guess it is a shinshinto blade with Ko-Bizen name inscribed

sukesada....... Bizen Ju nin Sukesada saku

I will be there in my usual spot, look forward to seeing everyone