Mark with Japanese Mark: 桃花翁　英明 "Toukaou Hideaki" | #458038

桃花翁　英明 "Toukaou Hideaki". This mark is from a tsuba and was made by Toukaou, who worked as a sword engraver (soukenkinkou) in Mutsu Province (present-day Fukushima Prefecture). Soukenkinkou is the Japanese name for metalworkers who design accessories for bladed weapons. A tsuba is a sword guard designed to protect the hand from contact with the blade. It also balances the weight of the sword.