Men have always been considered warlike, and they showed this quality more actively in the Middle Ages. When technology allowed the development of more menacing and deadly weapons of mass destruction, medieval wars, which had the factor of personalization in combat, no longer seemed so terrible. But the battle was fierce and bloody, and the soldiers had to look the enemy directly in the eyes. The weapon of that heroic time became a valuable artifact and even legendary. We offer an overview of the most expensive specimens that have survived to our time.
10.13th century, Katana sword of the Kamakura era - $ 418,000
Katana swords are traditional, single-edged edged weapons that have been used by Japanese samurai for hundreds of years. The swords were made from the best alloy. 125 of these swords are considered the heritage of Japan and are priceless. In 1992, about 1,100 Japanese swords were put up for auction from the collection of Dr. Walter Ames Compton. They were sold for $ 8 million on the first day. Among the swords in the collection was one dating from the 13th century of the Kamakura era, which was sold for $ 418,000 to an anonymous buyer. This is the most expensive Katana sword ever bought today.
9. Admiral Lord Nelson's French officer's saber - $ 541,720
Many artifacts cost a lot of money, as they belonged to famous historical figures, such as the officer's saber of Admiral Lord Nelson, which was found with the treasure in 2001. Among the items found were papers and documents, awards, jewelry and weapons belonging to Nelson. The treasure was kept for over 200 years, and was hidden by Nelson's friend, Alexander Davisan. In 2002, the collection was sold at Sotby's in London for $ 2 million. The story of the collection and its discovery appeared in the press in 2004 under the name "Nelson's Purse", which was also in the collection and believed to be with him at the time of the admiral's death in the Battle of Trafalgar.
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8.17th century, Indian Talwar blade - $ 717,800
The king's blade was sold at Sotby's in 2007. It is a curved European blade with elements of gold inlay and inscriptions. Poppies and lotuses were found among the images, and the sword itself dates from the 17th century. It belonged to Shah Yahan. This is one of the most outstanding finds among the many objects belonging to the Mughal Empire. It was made in the tenth year of Yahan's reign, somewhere in the years 1637-1638. The blade was sold for seven times the amount declared at the auction.
7. Qianlong era imperial hunting knife - $ 1.24 million
The unique hunting knife belonged to Qiannlong, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. On the handle of the knife, made from a rare antelope horn, there was a secret lock that gave access to a cache in which chopsticks and toothpicks were kept. The scabbard was made of rhino horn, and featured dragons hovering in the sky above the waves. The knife was made of gold and inlaid with turquoise, coral and lapis lazuli, from which it was concluded that the knife was imperial. The weapon was sold at Sotby's in 2009 for 9,620,000 Hong Kong dollars.
6. Sword of Odysseus S. Grant during the Civil War - $ 1.6 million
Another sword belonging to the famous historical figure, Odyssey S. Grant. He received it in 1864 from Kentucky when he led the US Army during the Civil War. The sword is inlaid with 26 diamonds that are in the shape of Grant's initials. The weapon was sold for $ 1.6 million in 2007 at Heritage Austion.
5. Knife "Pearl of the East" - $ 2.1 million
The Pearl of the East knife is a luxurious weapon designed and manufactured in 1966 by Buster Warenski in his 20s. After some time, he was already considered the world master of cold steel. For two years he headed the Guild of Bladed Weapons Masters. The Oriental Pearl knife was created for a Japanese customer. The handle of the knife is inlaid with 153 emeralds weighing 10 carats, 9 diamonds weighing 5 carats, and more than 800 grams of gold were used to make the blade and the handle. It took almost 10 years to make the knife.
4. Shah Yahan's personal dagger - $ 3.3 million
This is the second blade on our list belonging to Shah Yahan. In 2008, it was sold in London for 1,700,000 pounds, which is 5 times the declared amount. Shah Yahan ruled the Mughals from 1627 to 1657. His elegant dagger was inlaid with gold lettering and designs.
He was in the collection of a Belgian admirer of Asian weapons, porcelain and other art objects. The dagger bears the name of the shah, title, place and date of manufacture.
3.15th century Nasrid dagger - $ 6 million
Daggers with two blades and a hilt head resembling a human ear are the most significant exhibits of the Nasrid period of North Africa. Such daggers were widely used in Spain in the 15-16th centuries, and came to Europe from Italy. The dagger depicts a man with a crossbow hunting a lion and other animals. In 2010, the weapon was sold for six times the declared amount - for 3.7 million pounds.
2. Saber of Napoleon Bonaparte, inlaid with gold - 6.5 million dollars
Everyone knows that Napoleon carried a pistol and a saber with him on the battlefield. The gold-encrusted saber was with the emperor at the Battle of Marengo in 1800 when he drove the Austrian army out of Italy. The saber was passed down from generation to generation of Bonapartes, and now it is considered the property of the nation and has no right to leave the country. In 2007, in France, one of the descendants of Napoleon Bonoparte's brother, Jerome, sold the saber to another family member. The curved saber adorned with gold was made by Nicholas Noel Boute.
1.18th century, Bao-Teng saber - $ 7.7 million
The beautiful sword and scabbard were sold twice in 2006 for $ 5.93 million and two years later for $ 7.7 million. This is the second weapon on our list from the era of Emperor Qianlong. S-shaped saber with a jade handle, decorated with floral designs and made of steel, gold and copper. On one side of the saber, Bao Teng, the hero of poetry, is depicted. The blade itself was made in the imperial palace. In total, 90 of these sabers were manufactured in 47 years.