help with mei

[Mark]

Group,

 

I have a ko-wakizashi that is signed, the mei is hard for me to make out. Rust and wear may have worn away some of the stokes. I can clearly see Masa as the fist kanji, i at first assumed the second was Hiro, but after trying to remove some of the red rust i am now not sure. Maybe someone more familiar with Japanese can make it out..... any help appreciated. Thanks!

[Darcy]

I think you found a Masamune :-).

[Mark]

Ha-Ha .... but seruously, it does not look like Mune, there is something like a box in the lower right of the kanji...... ??

[Stephen]

Mark i think i see a lower right box as well ...dont know if this will help but here ya go....maybe a haru??

[Mark]

Thanks Stephen, you did a great job with the picture. I wondered if Uji or Suke possible? I hoped someone who is fluent in Japanese might recognize the kanji even if it is not clear.

[sencho]

at first and immediate glance the shape of the 2nd kanji screams NAGA to me...

 

MASA NAGA

 

正永

 

...edit....

 

Mark, I see where you are going with MASASUKE, (with the little box and all) but I don't think it works. If it was SUKE I would want to see the main vertical stroke further over to the left, instead it is central to the kanji.

 

However I be just a nihovice and am quite likely wrong! Let's wait for Moriyama san or Morita san to give an opinion.....

 

cheers

[Stephen]

Mark

 

i printed the neg copy up in 8x10 and put it on the wall hoping to walk by it and see what were looking for...no luck yet. Koichi san can you make anything out?

[Nobody]

I have been watching the mei for a while, but I cannot read it.

If I have to guess, I would like to say Masahiro (正廣) after all.

 

I cannot be free from the impression of the part (广) of the second kanji. :?

[Brian]

Here's a different look.

Not sure if it will help at all.

 

Brian

[Stephen]

this may cloud the issue but does anyone see this, some may be just rust offs, only other thing i can think of is a smoke oshigata or a rubbing to see if it comes off the same.

[Mark]

Thanks to everyone who has ventured an opinion !! At least i feel better that this is not something i should have figured out right away. I spent some quality time with chogi oil and a piece of horn, not sure if it made a big improvement but i think it is a bit clearer... the tang does not seem so distressed that a lot of detail should be missing, most of the kanji is cut deep and clear ? Does this picture help any?? I took a shot with both kanji as it gives an idea of the size/layout and then a close up of the second.....

 

Thanks again

[Stephen]

it helps but it dont ..lol... could be as sharpeye Moriyama san says...only thing left is to see the full blade, with all the Kantei pros we got here it should come to light.

[Nobody]

I really do not persist in Masahiro (正廣). Actually I cannot read the kanji.

This is just a game to show how biased eyes see what they want to see, and how to lead (or mislead) others.

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Maybe, seeing the whole nakago and blade should be helpful.

[Mark]

Thanks to everyone for the ideas....... pictures attached. It is 14 3/16" hirazukuri, thin irregular temper, there are clouds of nie or something in the Ji........ what do you think??

[Brian]

Must say, this is not going to be an easy one to solve. As Moriyama san said, the eyes can play tricks on you, and you can start to see what you want.

 

I do see a definite stroke where I highlighted in red. But still makes no sense to me

 

Brian

[sencho]

Just showed it to my wife.... she said... could be Masahiro...

 

Then showed her Moriyama san's outline.... she said... "told you, it's Masahiro (or Masakou); now do something sensible and open a bottle of wine!!"

 

Cheers!

[Mark]

Thanks to all ! I will have to look at my books again, I thought I was wrong, about Masahiro, as i did not see any oshigata that were close-- could be just gimei

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Sugata looks like Soshu, but the mei dont' match with oshigata i've (generation...?).