Mark with Japanese Mark: 樫野直信 "Kashino Naonobu" | #458461

樫野直信 "Kashino Naonobu". This mark is from a tsuba and was made by Naonobu, who worked as a sword engraver (soukenkinkou) in Echigo Province (present-day Niigata Prefecture) for the Kashino house. 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.