Difficult Mei, Very Strange Blade Inserts

[Cuirassier]

Hello all

I generally get by deciphering mei these days, but this one has really got me.

Also, unsure if I should have split this into two posts, but the blade has some very strange inserts.

So it comes from a shin gunto with very high quality furniture (e.g. the seppa seem to have been made especially).

The last character is corroded away; I can not take a better photo.

My best guess is Hiko Shi (no) kami Kane (last character)

But the first character looks more like the first character used for province Shinano, but the second character seems to rule that out.

 

OK, now the blade inserts.

These are clearly light weight? metal inserts which were then covered over by steel proper.

One has fully exposed (it looks like plastic but that is the light, it is a metal), and there are a couple of outlines of two smaller ones that are "coming out" (the thin steel covering is yielding).

I can not believe these were done more recently, why, how?

The blade itself appears to be very high quality.

 

Please, on both counts, can someone put me out of my torment?

 

Thanks in anticipation.

[PNSSHOGUN]

The inserts are Umegane, whoever owned this blade previously seemed to like it enough to have such careful repairs performed.

[Ray Singer]

I am seeing 信_平四_. The only combination which would seem to match is 信國平四郎 (Nobukuni Heishiro) but that does not seem right for your mei.

[Cuirassier]

The inserts are Umegane, whoever owned this blade previously seemed to like it enough to have such careful repairs performed.

Thanks John. I guess the army officer most likely had this done?

[Cuirassier]

I am seeing 信_平四_. The only combination which would seem to match is 信國平四郎 (Nobukuni Heishiro) but that does not seem right for your mei.

Thanks Ray. It seems a very minimalist signature. I think you are bang on with Nobukuni, thank you. But I do not see Hei, I see Kane, maybe Kanemori? Kanekuni?

[Ray Singer]

HEI (平) is what appears to be the kanji below. Also read HIRA.

[Cuirassier]

Hirakuni?

Hirashi?
Nobukuni Haishi?

[Ray Singer]

I see 平四__ (Heishi__). That would typically be the first portion of a zokumei like 平四郎 (Heishiro)

[Peter Bleed]

I think this could be TAIRA,, that is suggesting a familial connection, = = like Fujiwara, Minamoto, etc.

BUT I can make anything out below that.

[Ray Singer]

Please see attached for an example of 信國平四郎 (from a larger mei for Nobukuni Yoshimasa). That appears fairly certain to be what the mei is trying to read. 

 

https://www.choshuya.co.jp/senrigan-1/%E5%88%80%E3%80%80%E9%8A%98%E3%80%80%E6%BA%90%E4%BF%A1%E5%9B%BD%E5%B9%B3%E5%9B%9B%E9%83%8E%E5%90%89%E6%94%BF

 

[uwe]

Ray,

 

I think you are spot on. The kuni character is a bit different, though!

[Peter Bleed]

Yep, that looks pretty good

P

[Cuirassier]

Please see attached for an example of 信國平四郎 (from a larger mei for Nobukuni Yoshimasa). That appears fairly certain to be what the mei is trying to read. 

 

https://www.choshuya.co.jp/senrigan-1/%E5%88%80%E3%80%80%E9%8A%98%E3%80%80%E6%BA%90%E4%BF%A1%E5%9B%BD%E5%B9%B3%E5%9B%9B%E9%83%8E%E5%90%89%E6%94%BF

 

heishro.jpg

A big thank you Ray

[Cuirassier]

Ray,

 

I think you are spot on. The kuni character is a bit different, though!

Hello Uwe. Maybe this smith? https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/YOS362

[uwe]

Quite possible Mark!

A picture of the whole blade might tell....

[PNSSHOGUN]

And the mounts too!

[Cuirassier]

Hi Guys

Thanks for taking the time out. I know the blade is pretty much worthless from a nihonto point of view, but I am into military swords, as my French Napoleonic Cuirassier image shows. I find it interesting identifying the smith as much as the thought process / reasoning by the Japanese officer (I presume it was him who did it) to "repair" the blade (basically make it fit for a fight and with his ancestors honour).

 

I bought it auction knowing about the odd inserts and it fascinated me. The trouble someone went to. I thought they might be to balance the sword.

 

So, I have these if they help.

[Cuirassier]

This photo shows the unusual numbering of the seppa.

 

[Jacques]

3 generations signed that way .. 

[Cuirassier]

3 generations signed that way .. 

I saw all three, but only one signed exactly this way (no first kanji).