Nihonto makers mark

[Hove]

Hello I have a neighbor that acquired a Nihonto and he asked me to try and find out the maker , the sword is in pretty rough condition missing many of its parts.

thank you , Steve

[Ray Singer]

Tsuda Omi (no) kami (the remainder was likely Sukenao). 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

This one, Ray?

 

"SUKENAO (助直), Genroku (元禄, 1688-1704), Settsu – “Ōmi no Kuni-jū Sukenao” (近江国住助直), “Ōmi no Kami Takagi-jū Sukenao” (近江守高木住助直), “Ōmi no Kami Sukenao” (近江守助直), “Tsuda Ōmi no Kami Sukenao – Gōshū Takagi” (津田近江守助直・江州高木), real name Tsuda Magodayū (津田孫太夫), he was born in the 16th year of Kan´ei (寛永, 1639) in the village of Takagi (高木) in Ōmi´s Yasu district (野洲郡), he became a student of the 2nd gen. Sukehiro (助広) and was married to his daughter in the third year of Enpō (延宝, 1675), we know date signatures from the eighth year of Kanbun (寛文, 1668) to the sixth year of Genroku (1693), it is unknown when he received the honorary title Ōmi no Kami, the earliest dated blades showing this title in the mei is from the eighth month of Kanbun ten (1670), it is said that he died around the sixth or seventh year of Genroku (1693~94), first and foremost shinogi-zukuri katana and wakizashi are extant, dense ko-itame with ji-nie, also a standing-out itame, suguha, notare, tōranba, notare mixed with gunome, or gunome-midare, in the case of a midareba an Ōsaka-yakidashi is present, nie-deki with a wide, clear and bright nioiguchi, but we also know blades with a tight nioiguchi, the gunome is somewhat more angular as at Sukehiro, at Sukenao, the tama are – if present – not always in the exact middle of two midare elements, the bōshi has an early returning ko-maru-kaeri, from the eighth year of Kanbun (1668) he signed the omote-mei in block script and the ura-mei in cursive script, from the second year of Tenna (天和, 1682) he signed both sides in cursive script, and from the third year of Enpō (1675) onwards he added his family name Tsuda, certain outstanding masterworks of him are of the same quality as the best works of his master and father-in-law Sukehiro, jōjō-saku"

 

Steve,

Is there writing on the other side?

[Ray Singer]

That is at least who it's purporting to be.