Tōyama Mitsuru Hot stamp

[hobnails]

Hi boys and girls while watching the sale of the katana by Kasama Shigetsugu today on eBay it got me thinking why some of Shigetsugu’s swords forged on the estate of Tōyama Mitsuru have an inscription stating made on the estate of the venerable Tōyama Mitsuru while other swords forged by Shigetsugu on the estate have the hot stamp  of Tōyama Mitsuru ,were these swords made as gifts?  Did other smiths who forged swords there use this stamp as well ,Curious to here your thoughts some pics of the hot stamp.

cheers 

Chris H

[Bruce Pennington]

I have 2 others, by him, with the kokuin, but haven't seen it on blades made by anyone else (yet!).  

 

So, does the stamp actually say "Mitsuru?"

[Shugyosha]

Hi Bruce,

Looks like トキク - Tokiku in katakana. I've no idea of what the significance of that is though.

[SteveM]

トキワ　Tokiwa - it is a location in Tokyo (Tokiwamatsu-chō) where Shigetsugu's forge was. Near present-day Shibuya.

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/常磐松町