Help with Translation on Iron Tsuba

[tbonesullivan]

Just found this on a "barn fresh" WWII Katana by AMAHIDE, and this definitely looks to have been made quite a bit before WWII. I've been working on trying to much through the kanji, but so far one one side I have been able to come up with 西陣住, with the other side having two characters I can't find followed by what I think is 國 - KUNI

 

The other side has just two kanji, and they may be 忠 埋.  This is my first attempt at a Tsuba, and I don't think I've ever seen these kanji before.

 

Any help you can give  is much appreciated!

[xiayang]

You were on the right track:

 

山城國 = Yamashiro no Kuni

 

西陣住 = Nishijin jū

 

埋忠 = Umetada

 

See for instance here for another example.

[reinhard]

Sorry to disappoint you, but this tsuba is far from the craftsmanship that can be expected of Umetada kinko.
Another famous name abused for commercial purposes.

reinhard

[Brian]

That's an understatement. If I had to guess, I'd say cast. But even if not...it's of mediocre quality.