Can I Get Some Translation Help?

[brannow]

Hi all,

 

I'm having a hard time working out this signature.  What I get is something about a Mt. Kamasu? Ju Shigemitsu Saku.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

[John A Stuart]

This is 南部釜臥山下住 living in the southern part of Kamafuseyamashita; then, 重光作  Shigemitsu saku. John

[brannow]

Thank you John!

[Peter Bleed]

My efforts at translation have been minimally successful of late, but I think the "Nambu" portion of this mei may refer not to the south side of this mountain, but rather to the fact that it is in the Nambu-han. Way up north...

Peter

[John A Stuart]

The mountain is in Mutsu, so yes north, 'shita' means under, like a village nestled up to the mountain. Nambu domain, could be. Iwate prefecture. Good idea. John

[Peter Bleed]

I have a volume - a pretty thin one - in Iwate-ken smiths, but it is packed away at the moment. It also turns out that the Nambu-han was not quite the same as modern Iwate-ken. The Nambu folks held property on the east side of what is today Aomori. They did some pretty serious iron mining  up there. How old is is blade, Bill?

Peter