Help with mei and date?

[drbvac]

I believe this is masa?? ? The nakago is pretty rusty and the inscription on the other side is the date I think BUT if I could read this I wouldnt have it here!!

[Nobody]

The upper pic:

I guess the first five kanji as follows;

備中松山住(or 藩?) Bitchu Matsuyama ju (or Han?)

 

The lower pic:

前田xxxx 正真– Maeda.....Masazane

嘉永元年九月日– Kaei Gan nen Ku gatsu hi = 9th month of 1848

[drbvac]

Matsuyama in Hawley is Mizuta group from 16th century, so I hope the school continued into the shinshinto period and /or at least someone did!!:?

 

As a point of interest, Okayama Bitchu-Matsuyama-Jo (Takahashi) is the highest castle in Japan<

[drbvac]

I found that if the last three Kanji are Bitchu Matsuyama han - this is the name of the Japanese domain in Bitchu during the edo period. I suppose this could be simply the area where it was made. So the smiths name is next to the date on the other side of the nakago?

[drbvac]

These may or may not assist

[drbvac]

This is the other side of the nakago which I believe states the blade was made in the bitchu - matsuyama -han

[drbvac]

I have tried by looking at the nakago and the pics to highlight what I think the chisel marks are! The writing beside the date may be a who the blade was made for? the smiths signature is a mystery - and I am assuming it is on the side opposite the date and owners. The blade is slender ubi-no-kubi-dzukuri, long turn back of the hamon on boshi and gunome midare hada I "think". Any assistance greatfully accepted!

[Nobody]

I was watching the modified pictures for a while, but I could not find any reasonable answer.

 

As for “Bitchu Matsuyama (備中松山) +something”, I found and attached a similar mei. Though that is not the same smith, that suggests that the 5th kanji may be 臣 (shin = retainer).

 

As for the other side, the date may be the 9th month of 1848 as I wrote in my previous post. The inscription on the right of the date might be Tamemei (為銘), but I cannot read or understand that. I may be wrong in reading those kanji, as they do not make enough sense.

[drbvac]

Thank You !!! I will keep trying as well. The photos are certainly less clear than the blade and I may try to ermove a little of the red rust on the nakago. I did read some inscriptions that did have "ertainera' in them as the smith worked specifically for a daimo but will have to continue looking. Wher do you feelt he smiths name would be in the list of characters?

[Nobody]

I suspect that the smith’s name had been just after “備中松山+something” and the name is now worn away.

[drbvac]

Thats what I thought so maybe with the date, and the inscriptions that we know if I put it on general Nihonto and ask for possible attributions I may get some luck! Arigato Domo for your expertise