Since Samurai were known to live life on the edge, they never knew when they might meet their demise and need to compose a last minute death poem and commit harakiri. This tantô would have been carried by a forward thinking Samurai. On the outside it has the appearance of an common tantô, yet within is everything one would need for his writing needs. Inserted into the bottom of the saya is a bamboo tube. One end of the tube contains a small writing brush while the other contains a small paper cutting knife. There is a false cover on the tsuka that slides off to reveal an inkwell that is ready for use. Of course, the blade is sharp and ready to go.
Quite the “all-in-one” package. This dates to the middle to late 1800’s.
