Help with Translation on Murata-to Kyu-Gunto with Mum Marked Blade

[tbonesullivan]

This is a sword I kinda forgot about after looking at it back in 2017, before I started trying to read Kanji. It's a Wakizashi that was put into Russo-Japanese style mounts. The tang definitely looks quite old, and it's marked with a Mum. The blade unfortunately was somewhat damaged, with some nicks in the edge. The hamon was hard to see, but definitely SUGUHA.

 

The Mei is a bit faint, but I can see that the second character is 宗 - MUNE, but I can't make out the first character. I thought maybe 光 MITSU, but that doesn't look right. It looks to be a very simple kanji, but the tang is worn, so maybe some is missing.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Mark]

i think Sukemune.  not sure how to get my computer to let me use kanji but i will try   助宗

 

 if i am wrong (very possible) i am sure someone will correct me

[Bruce Pennington]

Mark,

Can you tell if the saya was intentionally darkened?  or is that just age/oxidation?

[tbonesullivan]

49 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Mark,

Can you tell if the saya was intentionally darkened?  or is that just age/oxidation?

I believe the scabbard used to be nickel plated, and it call came off over time. Unfortunately like most of of the stuff I get to look at, no one knows where it's been. I've seen plenty of European Sword scabbards from near the turn of the century with that same level of patina.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi David, small clarification: Murata-To is a specific type of arsenal made blade rather than the style of mounts.

[Bruce Pennington]

This mark is the strangest thing.  It almost looks like the original nakago had been cut off, and another added.  Yet if so, it was done before the kiku and mei.  The kiku is right one line on the other side.

 

[tbonesullivan]

12 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

This mark is the strangest thing.  It almost looks like the original nakago had been cut off, and another added.  Yet if so, it was done before the kiku and mei.  The kiku is right one line on the other side.

 

From what "we were told" the Mum was probably added around the time it was converted to a Kyu-Gunto. It's a Wakizashi length blade, and they often had shorter handles, and we think the tang was made longer, something that we have seen before. It was definitely an interesting piece. I think the cutting edge was only around 20 inches long.  I wish I still had access to it, but it is long gone unfortunately.

[tbonesullivan]

23 hours ago, Mark said:

i think Sukemune.  not sure how to get my computer to let me use kanji but i will try   助宗

 

 if i am wrong (very possible) i am sure someone will correct me

I just wish there was more of the character left. I could see Suke being a definitely possibility. Thankfully there aren't a huge number of smiths who used MUNE as the second character in their name.

[Bruce Pennington]

Interesting!  I was thinking it was something along that line.  They did a good job with the modification, but of course it was a swordsmith that did it.

[Surfson]

Bruce, I believe that that mark was made from rubbing of a habaki/seppa/tsuba that were placed there when the sword was longer.