Antique Japanese Samurai Swords & Katanas

Antique Japanese Samurai swords and katanas are very collectible and highly sought after today.  Some are hand forged masterpieces while others are mass produced military issued swords.  The traditional Samurai sword features a long, (usually 36″) curved blade and the similar Katana features a blade of around 26″ long.  An even shorter sword, called the Wakizashi are also highly collectible.  Samurai, members of Japan’s warrior class, used these swords to show status.  The great quality of these weapons, the personal decorations on the handles (Menuki), and the painstaking care that each owner took to preserve their swords supports this idea.  Original scabbards, handle material, the quality of the steel are some factors when determining the value of rare Samurai swords and Katanas.  Check out my antique Netsuke page and Randall Made knives page as well.