Translation of mei

[Pauln93]

Hi, I recently acquired this sword and I'm looking for some help translation the mei.

 

I was informed by the seller that it might be michimasa and another forum member said it may be Naomasa 直政 Maybe Washu ju Tomoyoshi

[Peter Bleed]

Well, gee. It sure looks to me like Dewa ju Naomasa. Look at Hawley NAO84

Peter

[John A Stuart]

That was me, Naomasa. It was the two kanji before Naomasa that I thought possibly might be Tomoyoshi. John

[k morita]

Hi,

 

The signature is "Made by Heiryo Naomasa in Ushu(Dewa province/now Yamagata prefecture)".

羽 州 住 兵 良 直 政 作

[Pauln93]

Thank you everyone, I found him on both hawley and the index of Japanese swordsmith

 

seem like i can't find many examples of his work

[george trotter]

There is not much known about him.

Look on page 126 of Slough for Ichimura Heiryo Naohisa of Yamagata....he uses the same Ushu and Heiryo as your Naomasa.

 

Uchiyama in "Nihon Gendaito Shoshi" Chap. VI p.8 says Komura Naotsugu, Yamagata, is also using the name Naomasa....(followed by a son Komura Naomatsu). It says that his family name is Komura, not Ichimura. The following works give different info about Naotsugu, Naohisa etc, so I won't confuse you. I'll just mention Naomasa.

 

Nihonto Meikan p.660 gives Okuyama (Naoharu) Naomasa, Yamagata, Rikugun Jumei Tosho (star stamp).

 

Shimizu in "Tosho Zenshu" p.636 also gives Naomasa as Okuyama (Naoharu) Naomasa of Yamagata, Rikugun Jumei Tosho.

 

SO, I think your smith Naomasa is probably Okuyama (Naoharu) Naomasa of Yamagata. Maybe both Naohisa (slough) and Naomasa using the "go" of Heiryo means they studied/worked together, maybe even they are related?

 

There are quite a number of Rikugun Jumei Tosho where little is known...I have one by Takashima Kunihide that is little known except he worked in Fushimi, Kyoto (I would like to think in the grounds of the Inari shrine).

 

Hope this helps,

[cisco-san]

Blade is on eBay now

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141334524018?ru ... 26_rdc%3D1