Mark with Japanese Mark: 當明 "Masaaki" | #458464

當明 "Masaaki". This mark is from a tsuba and was made by Masaaki, who worked as a sword engraver (soukenkinkou) in Echigo Province (present-day Niigata Prefecture) for the Baba 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.