signature on a ken

[David McDonald]

Dear All

 

Looking for some help with the kanji on a ken.

Looks like maybe koto or early Shinto

 

1. The kanji has the 田ta radical (Den, ta – rice field) on the right hand side

Not sure of the left hand side

 

2. looks like 河wa, ga

 

3. might be a kanji under the mekugi ana but I am not sure

 

4. maybe 盛mori,　成 nari, or maybe not

 

5. Might be 命mio,naga, or maybe not

 

11 ¾ inch long

Midare suguha

Course masame/running itame hada

 

Thanks for any help

david mcdonald

[Markus]

I read "Hosokawa Moritoshi"

 

細河盛俊

 

But only sure about the first three characters.

[David McDonald]

Dear Markus

 

Thanks, I missed hoso

 

Spent the afternoon looking in my books to see if I can find a listing of

Hosakawa Mori ?

Looked at Moritoshi first and then look at others.

 

so far I have not yet found a smith that signed like that.

 

thanks again

 

later

david

 

  Markus said:

I read "Hosokawa Moritoshi"

 

細河盛俊

 

But only sure about the first three characters.

[kusunokimasahige]

Is this a true Ken in the sense of a sword or is it a Yari Ken ?

 

KM

[Markus]

It seems that there was no koto smith using these characters for "Moritoshi".

Also I was unable to connect the family name "Hosokawa" to any of the Moritoshi

found in the meikan records. So the smith is either meikan-more (not in the meikan

lists), or there is always the possibility with ken that they bear the name of their

donator if presented to a temple or shrine.

[David McDonald]

Dear KM

 

I believe it is an ubu ken so not a yari ken.

 

later

david

 

  kusunokimasahige said:

Is this a true Ken in the sense of a sword or is it a Yari Ken ?

 

KM

[David McDonald]

Dear Markus

 

I also did not find anything in my books. Thanks for looking.

 

So maybe meikan-more.

 

I did not know that that the name of donator were placed on ken. Interesting.

 

later

david

 

  Markus said:

It seems that there was no koto smith using these characters for "Moritoshi".

Also I was unable to connect the family name "Hosokawa" to any of the Moritoshi

found in the meikan records. So the smith is either meikan-more (not in the meikan

lists), or there is always the possibility with ken that they bear the name of their

donator if presented to a temple or shrine.

[kusunokimasahige]

Thank you very much David !

 

KM