Bizen Translation Help

[miner1436]

Hello everyone, I was hoping that you guys may help me out translating the mei of a sword I am looking at buying. So far I have come up with: "Bizen no kuni ju..." I can't get the rest though.There is a lot of activity going on with the hamon, it looks like a suriage Bizen (Sue-Bizen?) work to me. Seller says it's a 24 inch blade, these are the best pictures I could get.  Any info or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

--Richard.

 

 

[Shugyosha]

Hi Richard,

 

I'm struggling with the photograph of the mei so take what follows in that context.

 

I think I can make out 東 then there's a kanji I can't make out and then maybe 門. There were several smiths working in Bizen in the early to mid 17th century signing with 東多門兵 "Azuma Tamonbei" as part of their signature and it may be one of those. 

 

The work styles of these two might fit with the hamon I can see on this sword (From Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan):

 

MASANARI (正成), Kan´ei (寛永, 1624-1644), Bizen – “Azuma Tamonbei Fujiwara Masanari kore o saku” (東多門兵衛藤原正成作之), “Bizen no Kuni Okayama-jū Azuma Tamonbei Fujiwara Masanari” (備前国岡山住 東多門兵衛藤原正成), real name Azuma Tamonbei (東多門兵衛, the family name can also read Tō or Higashi), gunome-chōji, suguha with ashi, we know blades from the Kan´ei to the Keian era (慶安, 1648-1652), chūjō-saku

 

MASATSUGU (正次), Manji (万治, 1658-1661), Bizen – “Azuma Tamonbei Masatsugu” (東多門兵衛正次), “Bishū Okayama-jū Azuma Tamonbei Masatsugu” (備州岡山住東多門兵衛正次), “Azuma Tamonbei no Jō Fujiwara Masatsugu” (東多門兵衛尉藤原正次), real name Azuma Tamonbei (東多門兵衛, the family name can also read Tō or Higashi), son of Azuma Masanari (正成), itame, gunome-midare mixed with chōji, chū-saku

 

Best,

John

[miner1436]

Thanks for the info, I decided to pass on it.

[Bugyotsuji]

I believe this smith line came across to Bizen from Tottori when the great Ikeda Daimyo Mitsumasa was moved across and put in charge of Okayama in 1632.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikeda_Mitsumasa