koto tanto

[hobnails]

Hi guys here is some pics a koto tanto i have, i know it says bishu osafune 

but cant make out the rest of the mei, i have a soft spot for it as it was the

first nihonto i ever saw i remember my dad bringing it home from the uk

about 1982 i was 12 and had never seen anything so cool.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

OK, most probably wrong, but let’s get the ball rolling.

Attempt 1.

正実

[Nobody]

The date looks to be X享二年八月日 - the 8th month in the 2nd year of X享 era.

 

The era may be one of these.

1. 永享 (Eikyo) - 1429-

2. 長享 (Chokyo) - 1487-

3. 貞享 (Jokyo) - 1684-

4. 延享 (Enkyo) - 1744-

 

I guess that 永享 (Eikyo) is most probable.

[hobnails]

Hi guys thanks for the help

Regards

Chris H

[Nobody]

I think that the last character of the mei is 久 (hisa). If its era is around Eikyo, there were several smiths in Osafune such as 景久(Kagehisa), 長久(Nagahisa), 信久(Nobuhisa), 則久(Norihisa), 忠久(Tadahisa), 具久(Tomohisa), 友久(Tomohisa), 次久(Tsuguhisa), 安久(Yasuhisa), 良久(Yoshihisa), and 家久(Iehisa).

 

I guessed the mei was 良久(Yoshihisa) or 家久(Iehisa) at first. But frankly I cannot recognize the second last kanji in the mei.

 

As Piers said, the second last kanji also looks 正(Masa) to me too. But in that case, the mai must be 備州三原正久/備州三原住正久. 正久(Masahisa) was not a smith in Osafune.