Mark with Japanese Mark: 愛竹造 "Aichiku tsukuri" | #458045

愛竹造 "Aichiku tsukuri". This mark is from a tsuba and was made by Aichiku, 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.