Estate Tanto strange Saya Wedding Gift?

[Foletta]

I found this at a Estate sale Auction the Saya and Tsuka are wood . The Blade is signed Osafune Suketsugu  1356-1362? or 1410-1469? in Hawleys Very sharp  Has anyone seen this before? The family told me that their Grandfather married a Japanese women after the war and this was her Wedding gift from her family . Does this sound right? Was it common to be given a Tanto? Thanks Geoff

[Bugyotsuji]

So many factors come into play, that a quick answer must be difficult.

 

Unlikely, but not completely outside the realms of possibility right after WWII, with many facing extreme poverty. Perhaps the family were of Bushi stock, and had nothing suitable to give, or hid a suitable blade in a funky koshirae, and gave it to her to use on herself if things should not turn out well, or for her eventual funeral, imagining that they might never see her again. (?)

 

PS Looks like it got well used for other things in the meantime.

[Tanto54]

Piers?  A tanto is part of a standard bridal trousseau for "Bushi stock", so I don't see why this would be unlikely at all... (in fact, quite commonplace)

[Bugyotsuji]

Point taken, George, but in such a Koshirae?　

[Toryu2020]

I have to agree, this doesn't look anything like a mamori-gatana. Perhaps two family legends got entwined?

[Foletta]

The Tanto is quite long at 32cm Thanks

[Surfson]

It looks like a Kaiken (or kwaiken) that serves as a ladies dagger.  They may have given it to her to protect herself from the family's grandfather.  😉   It looks very nice and seems well worth restoring to me.  

[Geraint]

Dear Geoff.

 

At 32cms it's way too big for a kwaiken and so we must assume that it's been mounted for curio value in the late19th early 20th century.  Of course it is quite possible that it was all that was to hand when the lady was married and so served the purpose but enjoy it for what it is.

 

All the best.