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The Japanese Samurai Sword - The Samurai sword is a fine instrument of warfare that has captivated the imagination of warriors and the public in general for many generations.

From the big screen to the small screen. The pure elegance of the Samurai sword is captivating. The manufacturing of the sword is an art that remains live and well in Japan. This has become one of the most sought after military collectibles.

This page provides the visitor with a glance of various Samurai swords. From the 1700 to WWII. Different aspects of the sword are discussed. Including the worth of the Samurai sword and its potential future increase in value.


VIEW SWORD 1 WWII KATANA - PRE-1900s HAND MADE BLADE
VIEW SWORD 2 WWII KATANA - MACHINE MADE BLADE
VIEW SWORD 3 WWII KATANA - HAND MADE BLADE
VIEW SWORD 4 WWII KATANA - MACHINE MADE BLADE, SIGNED
VIEW SWORD 5 WWII KATANA - SIGNED
VIEW SWORD 6 WWII KATANA
VIEW SWORD 7 WWII KATANA - NCO SWORD
VIEW SWORD 8 WWII KATANA
VIEW SWORD 9 1800's KATANA
VIEW SWORD 10 1800's WAKISASHI - NO SCABBARD
VIEW SWORD 11 1800's WAKISASHI
VIEW SWORD 12 1800's WAKISASHI - WOODEN STORAGE
VIEW SWORD 13 1800's WAKISASHI
VIEW SWORD 14 WWII KATANA
VIEW SWORD 15 WWII JAPANESE KATANA - SIGNED
VIEW SWORD 16 WWII JAPANESE ARMY KATANA
VIEW SWORD 17 1800's WAKISASHI - LACKERED
VIEW SWORD 18 1800's WAKISASHI - POOR
VIEW SWORD 19 WWII NCO KATANA - MACHINE MADE
VIEW SWORD 20 WWII KATANA - MACHINE MADE
VIEW SWORD 21 WWII WAKISASHI - MACHINE MADE
VIEW SWORD 22 EARLY 1900's KATANA - HAND MADE
VIEW SWORD 23 Showa Period KATANA - Machine MADE
VIEW SWORD 24 WWII KATANA - HAND MADE
VIEW SWORD 25 WWII KATANA -
VIEW SWORD 26 WWII KATANA - Ishido Teruhide blade
VIEW SWORD 27 WWII KATANA - Koto blade
VIEW SWORD 28 WWII KATANA NCO Sword
VIEW SWORD 29 WWII KATANA LAST DITCH Sword
VIEW SWORD 30 1700's TANTO Sword
VIEW SWORD 31 1800's TANTO Sword
VIEW SWORD 32 1800's TANTO Sword
VIEW SWORD 33 WWII Katana Sword
VIEW SWORD 34 WWII Naval Katana Sword - Kunimori
VIEW SWORD 35 Katana Sword
VIEW SWORD 36 Katana Sword
VIEW SWORD 37 Katana Sword - Kanefusa
VIEW SWORD 38 Katana Sword - Nagamitsu

THE WAY HOME
The Samurai swords were brought back to the US by GI's returning home from the war. These were very popular war souvenirs. Soldiers who did not pick them up themselves in the battle field would trade for them in theater or on the ships home.

A large number of Samurai swords were destroyed after the Japanese surrendered. Part of the conditions for the surrendered was that the soldiers turned in all hteir weapons. This included Samurai swords.

Piles upon piles of the swords were gathered near the ports and were thrown into the ocean. Some of the swords were melted to be used as construction material. A percentage of them were brought to America.

There were more swords in the United Steates than in Japan after the war.

This section of the website features some of the swords that survive the conflict.

If you are interested in purchasing a Samurai sword come and visit our store.




HABAKI
The Habaki could have been manufactured from a single piece or two pieces. The base metal is normally copper. Sometimes they are covered in gold foil.

Learn abou the anatomy of the Samurai sword by visiting our Sword anatomy section.




POMMEL
The pommel could be highly stylized or plain and simple. The WWII version shown here always displayed the Chrisantemum flower.




MENUKI
The Menuki is the metal ornament located on each side of the handle. The pair is matching and were primarily shaped in the form of people, animals or flowers.




TSUBA
The tsuba is a metal piece that protects the swordsman hand from a striking blade. The Tsuba can have very intricate and beautiful designs. Some of them are very plain.




MEI
Many of the Samurai swords have a signature in the tang area. The signature is chiseled. Additional markings can be made via stamping and/or painting.

If you would like to learn more about Samurai sword signatures and their meaning visit our Reading Samurai sword signatures section of this website.




WAR PROPAGANDA
The Japanese soldier was closely linked to the Samurai sword. This connection was leveraged by American intelligence to create posters that would evoke patriotic sentiment among the public. This would translate into monetary contributions to the war effort and/or volunteering for military service.




FAQ's
Come and check out our Frequently Asked Questions section of this website.


 
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