Mark with Japanese Mark: 萩谷勝平 "Hagiya Katsuhira" | #458365

萩谷勝平 "Hagiya Katsuhira". This mark is from a tsuba and was made by Katsuhira, who worked as a sword engraver (soukenkinkou) in Hitachi Province (present-day Ibaraki 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.