Confirmation on Worn Wakizashi Mei

[tbonesullivan]

I've been looking at this one for a while, and I tried to get the best photograph that I could have the mei. The first character is definitely 秀 HIDE, but for the second character the best I could come up with is  宗 MUNE. Or maybe 景 KAGE?  I'm about to start looking at Kanji normally not used on tangs.

[Nobody]

I can understand how the kanji looks like Mune(宗) or Kage(景). However, I think that the kanji is neither Mune(宗) nor Kage(景).

If I have no background knowledge, I naturally read it 秀早(Hidesaki/Hidehaya). But the problem is that there is no such a mei in my references.

[tbonesullivan]

On 2/9/2022 at 10:25 PM, Nobody said:

I can understand how the kanji looks like Mune(宗) or Kage(景). However, I think that the kanji is neither Mune(宗) nor Kage(景).

If I have no background knowledge, I naturally read it 秀早(Hidesaki/Hidehaya). But the problem is that there is no such a mei in my references.

 

Yes, that's the same problem I have having.  早 really does look to be the second character, which doesn't make any sense. It's fairly clear, and the HIDE above it is definitely clear. It doesn't show any of the usual signs of being a fake signature, and the blade is definitely a true nihonto, with a Hamon, Hada, various Kizu, and so forth. I'm stuck.

[tbonesullivan]

Close examination shows that there strokes on either side of the lower vertical stroke, so TOMO is out. Best guess has got to be HIDEMUNE.