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needing help with interpreting this sword signature?

Submitted by jrgorospe on Mon, 2012-01-09 11:30

Hi everyone,

I have recently purchased this sword.. I'm needing help to translate the signature on the tang. The signature looks really faint and I would appreciate it a lot if anyone could give me more info..I have included a picture of a stamp of what looks like a family mon found on the kabuto gane. Regards to all.

Many thanks,
Jo

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‹ additional tang pictures Anyone seen this before? ›

#1Submitted by kazarena on Mon, 2012-01-09 21:04.

Osafune Kiyomitsu

Hi Jo,

The signature reads (I think):

備州長船清光
bishū osafune kiyomitsu

There's also a date on the other side:

??三年?月日
? 3 nen ? gatsu hi

(? month of the 3rd year of ?? era)

I can't read the era based on the photos. But if you had a better photo, I think it'd be possible to read the era too.

See possible candidates here.

Regards,
Stan
#2Submitted by jrgorospe on Tue, 2012-01-10 09:48.

thanks again

Hi Stan,

Great!! Thanks a million, Really appreciate it.. I took the liberty to take additional photos and I will be posting them.. I tried to highlight it using some chalk hope you could figure out the exact era? Please keep me posted.

Regards,
Jo