Saotome Ietada

[Luc T]

Saotome Ietada was without doubt the best Saotome smith. This kabuto, a part of an
armour is accompanied with a framed note inscribed: Oboe, kono tabi Ise no Kami sama yori go-hatchu okuri seisaku itaseshi katchu irchiryo kiwame ogon goju-mai haiju itashi-soro gotoku tosho o motte akashi to itashi- soro Jokyo go tsuchinoe-inudoshi Katchushi Saotome letada. On this occasion, I would like to confirm with this document the receipt of the quote of fifty gold pieces for the armour made on order by Ise no Kami in 1688 - Armourer, Saotome letada.

I still read very often that the Saotome worked during the 16 century, even after Orikasa sensei discovered Ietada, the first Saotome, started working after Sekigahara.