Why do smiths use different signatures?

[Drago]

Hi,

 

I just read the "Why Mumei?" post (http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopi ... =1&t=12164) - very interesting. I thought of highjacking this but then decided to open a new thread instead.

 

Admins: If there already has been a similar question, please point me to it. I did use the search but didn't find anything. If there already is, feel free to merge/close/delete this thread.

 

Last year, I bought an Ichihara Nagamitsu sword that is signed "ichihara ichiryushi nagamitsu saku". Recently, I say another blade with the same signature on eBay that that a very very similar Hamon. Other Nagamitsu blades that I have seen had different Hamon and were only signed "nagamitsu saku" for example.

 

So my question is: Why do smiths sign their blades differently. Does that indicate anything and what kind of signature indicates what?

(I'll rephrase that: Why does one smith use different signatures for his own blades? Just like in my example...)

 

Thanks.

[kbt]

My name is not he same as yours ? Jmo

[Drago]

Ah, very funny. :x

 

Why would one single smith use different signatures to sign the blades he himself made???

[John A Stuart]

Smiths changed their names for a variety of reasons, permission granted as a reward by their lord to use a nanori of the lord, the father or related head of the family died causing them to adopt their progenitors name, they became a priest, names were more fluid in those times and changed when critical events took place. John

[cabowen]

Smiths sometimes also signed differently on blades they made themselves, versus blades made under their supervision by students. Sometimes smiths changed their signature over time, for a multitude of reasons....