Help with identification

[SajoSeif]

Hey guys,

 

maybe someone could help me with the identification of the mei.

 

Thanks alot!

[ROKUJURO]

BITCHU....KUNISHIGE

[Geraint]

Just to add, Bitchu no kuni Mizuta ju Oyogo Kunishige.

 

Lots to find here, of course you need to compare closely to papered examples.  

 

Can we see the rest of it please?

 

All the best.

[SajoSeif]

Sure thing! It was for a VERY good price. It has it's fair share of flaws but again I stumbled upon it and decided to buy it

[cisco-san]

from Markus book:

KUNISHIGE (国重), 5th gen., Kan´ei (寛永, 1624-1644), Bitchū – “Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū Ōtsuki Yogorō Kunishige saku” (備中国水田住与五郎国重作), “Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū Kunishige saku” (備中国水田住 国重作), “Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū Ōyogo Kunishige saku” (備中国水田住大与五国重作), real name Ōtsuki Yogorō (大月与五郎), nickname Ōyogo (大与五), son of the 4th gen. Kunishige, he was one of the most outstanding shintō-Mizuta smiths, his gō was Yūmei (有明, also read Yūmyō), it is said that he died young and/or that he remained childless, so his younger brother Ichizō (市蔵) raised his own son-in-law Katsubei (勝兵衛) to become the school’s successor and 6th gen. Kunishige, mostly a flamboyant gunome-ō-midare with ara-nie, plenty of nie in ji and ha, also muneyaki, his workmanship is typical for the shintō-Mizuta school, ryō-wazamono, jōjō-saku

 

and from his Shinto Meikan:

 

 

 

[Geraint]

So.  Given the shape of the nakago, the nakago  jiri, the style of the mei and the nature of the hamon we can conclude that the example posted is gimei.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

All the best. 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Of course, if you don't believe Geraint, you can always send the blade to shinsa - after a polish & a new shirasaya & habaki.

[SajoSeif]

thanks guys!