Please Help Reading The Mei

[Laszlo]

Dear Colleagues,

 

Help with reading the mei on the nakago below will be much appreciated.

 

So far I could read "Showa 17 year..." on ura side. Very few information to find out what sword is this... The opposite side, omote, is a sealed book. Can anyone help me with this?

 

With best wishes, L/

[Jussi Ekholm]

I think it reads 於厳島盛俊造之 - O Itsukushima Moritoshi kore o tsukuru. Moritoshi made this in Itsukushima. The beginning had me puzzled but I think it's correct.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Laszlo,

 

The remainder of the ura side reads: 仲秋 mid autumn.

 

I'm not very confident that I have this correct as I'm struggling to find exact matches for some of the characters on the omote but I'll post what I've come up with and hope that someone with greater knowledge will correct me if I've screwed up:

 

於巌嶋 Oite Iwaoshima - at Iwaoshima

 

盛俊造之 Moritoshi tsukuru kore - Moritoshi made this.

 

Kind regards,

John

[Shugyosha]

I think that Jussi is correct as the Itsukushima shrine is at Hiroshima and that gives a connection to this wartime smith (from Markus Sesko):

 

MORITOSHI (盛俊), 4th gen., 2nd gen. Koshimizu Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Hiroshima – “Geishū-jū Sōryūshi Moritoshi” (芸州住蒼龍子盛俊), real name Koshimizu Tsukasa (越水司), gō Sōryūshi (蒼龍子), he worked as guntō smith during World War II, kihin-jōi (Akihide), First Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

 

Best,

John

[Laszlo]

Thank you guys, the information is very handy!

 

Best, L/