help with Mei

[paulb]

All,

I am sorry I am sure the answer is staring me in the face but I cant work out the mei on this nakago. Can someone help please?

thanks in advance

Paul

[sencho]

DAYOU ?????

 

太　夫

 

 

cheers

 

sorry... didn't see the first kanji...

 

KO DAYOU 小 太　夫 can't find reference to a name like that... closest is Kotaro but last kanji is completely different...

[sencho]

the date is obviously HATCHI GATSU for the last two characters...

 

The first two got me a bit puzzled....

 

the first kanji looks like HATSU 発 but this pronounciation can change dependant on the second kanji that I am having trouble with too...

 

I guess the first two kanji of the date could be HAKKO 発 行 which means issued or published I think.... still not convinced though...

 

 

Cheers

[Nobody]

The date is described in the Zodiac system.

http://www.nihontokanjipages.com/kanshi.html

 

However; I suspect that the sword is a fake.

[sencho]

so

 

癸卯

 

Mizunoto U ???

 

thanks Moriyama san....

[Ted Tenold]

I see three characters on the omote. Looks like Ko da suke. I think Moriyama-san is correct. The signature doesn't seem right and the nakago is not very skilled. The date also neglects to denote *which* mizunoto u era. Each sign occurs every sixty years but to the era needs to be known in conjunction with the sign to pinpoint the exact year.

[sencho]

hi Ted,

 

I cannot see where you are getting SUKE from... :?

 

Here is another pronounciation of course

 

SHOU DAI FU 小 太　夫

 

Cheers

[Jean]

Agreed with Koichi, it looks like a fake.

 

I enjoy particularly the "wavy" shinogi

[Nobody]

I think that the chiseled name is 小太夫 as sencho-san identified. And maybe Ted also identified the same kanji. That can read “KO DAYOUâ€, “SHOU DAI FUâ€, or “Ko da sukeâ€. Each reading is not wrong. However, because it is a proper noun, I think "Kodayu" is the most appropriate reading. It is an archaic name, but is rather strange for a smith’s name.

[Nobody]

so

 

癸卯

 

Mizunoto U ???

 

thanks Moriyama san....

sencho-san is right.

 

Actually, the 2nd kanji is 夘, which is a variation of 卯.

[paulb]

Thank you Moriyama-san and all for your input,

it is much appreciated.