Need help to identify swordsmith and weapon number on long Dotanuki Yari.

[Dustan]

Hello out there, I have a long Dotanuki Yari but I cannot seem to find the swordsmith as documented in the paperwork. The swordsmith is listed as Tsugiemon but I cannot find that swordsmith in the Dotanuki group. Is there a possibility the Mei translation is incorrect? Also, the seller said the Yari is from a set and numbered on the bottom of the nakago"20 no uchi 16 kiyo 3", what does this mean (3 of 16?) and is this the correct inscription on the nakago? I don't read Kanji or Japanese so any help would be much appreciated. There is a remote possibility this Yari is a set ordered by Kato Kiyomasa for his army and possibly resided in Kumamoto Castle. He favored the Dotanuki group and had weapons made by the group and it comes from the correct time frame. Is anybody familiar with sets of Yari being made for a Daimyo? If there is a need for more and better photos, please let me know. Thank you very much for your valuable time and please have a good day. Most respectfully, Dustan.

[ROKUJURO]

I can't read it, but it is perhaps KASHU X DOTANUKI TSUGU IEMON ?

[Bugyotsuji]

Jiemon-no-Jo (with 'no Jo') is more like a title.

次衛門の尉

 

PS in the "コメント" comments paragraph on your white paperwork above it gives examples of some of the smiths (including yours) who signed Dotanuki. Keicho Era, it says.

　

[Bugyotsuji]

PS 久三 Could be a name, read in different ways, such as Kyuzo, Hisazo, Hisami, etc. There were some smiths in north Kyushu who signed with the 久 character.

[Nobody]

There is a large space between “廿ノ内十六” and “久三” in the actual inscription of “廿ノ内十六久三” on the nakago. So naturally the inscription means 16/20 and 久三.

As @Bugyotsuji suggests, 久三 (Kyuza/Kyuzo) might be a name.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Moriyama San, do you think it could be 久シ rather than 久三?

[Nobody]

12 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Moriyama San, do you think it could be 久シ rather than 久三?

 

I do not think so.