Hot stamp translation, please!

[Bruce Pennington]

Could I get a translation on this one?
Thanks guys!

[ghp95134]

Hi Bruce!

I think it's either 中心 or 一 中心; not certain that first mark is an artifact of the stamp, or if it is the numeral 1.

中心 -- Chūshin [ center; middle; heart; core; focus; pivot; emphasis; balance]; also read as "nakago" .... I don't think most Japanese would recognize the "nakago" reading without furigana [helping syllabary].

-- Guy

[Nick Komiya]

Or it could also be saying 一忠, "Loyal to One"

[Bruce Pennington]

The owner proposed Kazutada 一忠. Does that make sense?

[Nick Komiya]

Yes, if that male's first name is relevant to the sword. For instance, if the smith's name was Kazutada Yamaoka, a stamp saying Kazutada makes good sense.

[Bruce Pennington]

I'm trying to get a photo of the mei/nakago from the owner. Haven't gotten a response. Might be having fun or something this weekend.

[Nick Komiya]

Yes, taking a sword apart is not exactly first class entertainment for most people except to sword geeks.

[ghp95134]

Kazutada it is!!!

From Markus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths:

KAZUTADA (一忠), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Dewa – “Ushū-jū Kazutada” (羽州住一忠), real name Takada Gōsaku (高田剛作), student of Ittei (一定)

-- Guy

[Kiipu]

Cross-reference to the same topic.
Anyone familiar with this hot stamp?

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks gentlemen! The original "Poster" of the stamp doesn't own the sword and has no other pictures. But I'd say we have it pinned down. These hotstamps quite often have a stylized version, or tensho script version, of their name.