Correct Mei Translation?

[John C]

Hello everyone:

I am having doubts about the translation of the mei on the registration card of this wakazashi. The card reads Minamoto Sadamori as the mei translation. After looking at numerous kanji (I do not speak Japanese), I think the last two kanji do say Sada - Mori, however I cannot see Minamoto in the first kanji. Indeed, what is written on the registration card vaguely represents what is on the nakago. Does anyone recognize the first kanji on the nakago? I have more pictures posted on another thread of the sword 

Thank you very much. I appreciate any assistance you can provide. Regards, John C.

[Jussi Ekholm]

I think the signature could be - 平定守 - Taira Sadamori

 

As Steve identified in the other thread he is very unknown smith of Taira Takada school in Bungo province. Not to be confused with the more famous Sadamori smiths who used different Mori character. I have book on Bungo smiths and unfortunately I can only find 1,5 lines of text in the index portion on the back of the book about this smith. Unfortunately I cannot provide a reference signature where it would be signed 平定守

[John C]

Thank you very much, Jussi. I could not find any character for Minamoto that matched the first kanji. And indeed, the only Minamoto Sadamori I could find were five hundred years ago and I do not think the sword could be that old. I very much appreciate your efforts. I will do more research into Taira Sadamori.

John C.