Strange Mei / Shigetsune

[Katsujinken]

The omote looks pretty straightforward to me: Tango no Daijo Fujiwara Shigetsune

 

The ura, just seems to stop though: Echizen ju- ?

 

Markus documents two generations of Shigetsune in shinto, and the omote leads me to believe this might be the nidai, but one would expect the ura to read Echizen Toyohara or one of the variations to that effect.

 

But this has me stumped. Thoughts?

[Ed Harbulak]

Hi Michael,

It seems pretty straight forward to me. Echizen ju just means "living in Echizen" or citizen of Echizen. It's not an unusual way to sign. He could have just as easily written: Tango no Daijo Fujiwara Echizen ju Shigetsuna if there had been enough room on the omote side of the nakago.

[Katsujinken]

Right on, thank you Ed!

[Geraint]

Dear Michael.

 

Quite a common feature of Echizen smiths signatures to have Echizen ju on one side and the rest on the other.  Shigetaka mei are often like this as are others.

 

All the best.

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

My shigetsune have "echizen ju" + mei on one side.

but as stated, Echizen sword often have the mei split on the 2 sides of the nakago