2 x Mei assistance please

[Brian]

Hi all,

A friend has just sent me these 2, and asked for assistance. Being at work, I gave them a quick look, but am not confident enough, so thought I would ask

 

The first one I think is Hizen Kuni Hiro X but for some reason I can't remember what that last kanji is.

The second one.....

 

Much appreciated,

Brian

[Nobody]

The first one may be;

 

Its reading may be Hirosato or Hirokuni (廣郡). I do not know the name.

 

The second one may be;

 

Ietsugu (家次).

 

[Jacques D.]

HI,

 

Edit

 

I first considered Sadatsugu but Moriyama san is right for the second: Ietsugu 家次

 

Don't know the last of the first mei.

[Brian]

Thanks very much Moriyama san,

He had guessed at Iyetsugu..so that confirms it for him. Hirokuni looks correct according to the kanji you posted, but I can't find any smith signing Hiorokuni or Hirosato. Odd

He says it is in gunto mounts, so possibly it is an unrecorded Showato smith.

Just read Jacques post. I had also considered Sada. Is there any agreement on which one is the most likely?

 

Brian

 

Edit to add: Iyetsugu is looking like the correct mei. The only Hirokuni I can find is the shinsakuto smith Hiroki Hirokuni, but with different kanji, so not him. Another unrecorded smith?

[Ted Tenold]

Brian,

 

It is Hirokuni. The kuni is a bit obscure, but there is a Kanbun smith listed in the Hizento Handbook with this character and signing as your image shows. There are two Hirokuni with the other using the koku/kuni kanji and alternately signing Hiroyoshi and Yoshiyasu and was a student of Shodai Tadayoshi. I could not find your Hirokuni in the lineage chart though.