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Asian arms in old European paintings logo

Asian arms in Dutch master paintings

Dutch masters' fascination with exotic Asian wares shown in a series of paintings.
Vietnamese short kiem logo

Vietnamese shortsword

A short version of the Vietnamese kiếm sword with a finely carved horn hilt.
Katana with horse themed koshirae logo

Katana in horse theme koshirae

Blade signed Sesshū-jū Fujiwara Hiroyoshi, active in the 1670s-80s.
Han Plain Red Banner saber

Han Plain Red Banner saber

Southern Chinese saber made for a soldier under the Plain Red Banner.
Very fine Mindan dha logo

Very fine Mindan dha

Introduction

Fine silver overlaid dha made in Mindan village, south of Mandalay, gained fame in th

Tongzhou incident dadao logo

Tongzhou incident 29th army dàdāo

With markings attributing it to the Tongzhou incident and a Japanese surrender tag.
Golden groove peidao logo

Qing peidao with gold grooves

With fine 18th century blade that combines many stylistic features.
Mindan dha logo

Dha with story of Maung Tin

Of the silver overlaid type made in Mindan, with an unusual story on the blade.
Parang latok logo

Parang latok

A peculiar land Dayak sword with a sharp bend in the blade.
Parang latok logo

Parang latok

A curious slashing weapon from northern Borneo.
Sosun pattah with twistcore blade

Sosun pattah with twistcore blade

The hilt with overlay of the finest quality of the period
Important Juyo Ko-Hoki Sadatsuna logo

Important Ko-Hōki Sadatsuna katana

12th-century blade. 33rd Shinsha Juyō Token with sayagaki by Tanobe.
Waitsum logo

Waitsum

Language: Khasi
Source: In common use

Indian talwar with 1693 dated blade logo

Talwar with 1693 dated blade

With later, elaborately chiseled hilt of very fine quality.
Very fine Tibetan dpa'dam logo

Tibetan cavalry dpa'dam

With massive blade and silk brocade decorated scabbard.
Unusual Nias sword logo

Unusual South Nias sword

Of rather clean design for the area, with separate silver mouth with teeth in hilt.
Fine Dayak mandau logo

Finely carved mandau

A fine Dayak headhunter sword with an exceptionally carved hilt.
Deccan firanghi

Deccan firanghi with silver overlay

The basket hilt is elaborately overlaid with silver in floral designs.
North Indian kirach with Persian wootz export blade

Interesting kirach with dated hilt

Mentioning the son of a Maharajah and a year corresponding to 1887 A.D.
17th century pattisa logo

Fine 17th century pattissa

The enormous blade made of fine, boldly contrasting wootz steel.
Jumyo katana logo

Jumyo katana with fine koshirae

The very detailed mountings are decorated with designs of Japanese spiny lobsters.
Musashi Taro Yasukuni katana logo

Katana by Musashi Taro Yasukuni

Signed, ubu. Complete with tasteful koshirae and Hozon papers.
Musashi Taro Yasukuni logo

Musashi Taro Yasukuni (武蔵太郎安国)

A Japanese swordsmith who lived between 1650-1730.
Early Ottoman karabela

Fine early Ottoman karabela

A fine, early example dating from around 1700 with silver gilt niello mounts.
Longquan Qianzihao duanjian logo

Longquan jiàn by Qian Zi Hao

A Chinese shortsword made by a well-known Longquan maker.
Cambodian long saber logo

Cambodian long saber

Sized like the Chinese changren dadao, yet the execution of the hilt is Cambodian.
Chinese demon head saber

Chinese demon head saber

Based on a Chinese military saber blade, with unusual horn demon hilt
Shihozume kitae logo

Shihōzume-gitae (四方詰め鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge, low carbon core, medium carbon sides and a separate back.
Honsanmai gitae logo

Hon-sanmai-gitae (本三枚鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge plate under a soft core, flanked by medium steel.
Sanmei gitae logo

Sanmai-gitae (三枚鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a center high carbon edge plate.
Wariha-gitae logo

Wariha-gitae / wariba-gitea (割刃鍛え)

Japanese term for a sword construction with an inserted edge made of higher carbon steel.
Hyoshigi gitae logo

Hyoshigi-gitae (拍子木鍛え)  

Japanese term for a sword construction with an edge made of higher carbon steel.
Maru gitae

Maru-gitae (丸鍛え)

Japanese word for a basic blade construction consisting of one type of steel.
Japanese sword construction methods logo

Construction methods of Japanese swords

This article will describe several methods by which the Japanese joined higher and lower carbon steels into their blades.
Shin jugomai kobuse logo

Shin jūgomai kōbuse-gitae (真十五枚甲伏鍛え)

Japanese sword construction that is was found inscribed on some tangs.
Kobuse logo

Kōbuse-gitae (甲伏せ鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with high carbon steel outer jacket around a softer core.
Nias bekhu

Bekhu

Nias name for the monkey-like figure carved on some sword hilts.
Kanetuhu-etuhu point of knife or sword

Kanetuhu / Etuhu

Ainu words for the point of a knife or sword.
Back of knife

Mekkashike

Ainu word for the back of a knife, or sword. Also the ridge of a mountain or house.
Ibehe ainu

Ibehe

Ibehe is an Ainu word for a knife or sword blade.
Nioi

Nioi (匂)

Japanese word for fine martensite crystals in the blade's temperline.
Nie logo

Nie (沸)

Japanese word for martensite crystals that form in blade under certain conditions.
Yoki wazamono logo

Yoki Wazamono (良業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the third highest rated cutting ability.
o-wazamono logo

Ō Wazamono (大業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the second highest rated cutting ability.
Saijo o wazamono

Saijō Ō Wazamono (最上大業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the highest rated cutting ability.
Wazamono logo

Wazamono (業物)

Japanese term for a sword that is tested to cut well.
Tametsugu signature logo

Tametsugu (為継)

A Japanese swordsmith in the Shōshū tradition.
Tametsugu logo

Sōshū sword with tachi koshirae

Tokubetsu Hozon, attributed to Den Tametsugu. With fine itomaki no tachi koshirae.
Itomaki no tachi

Itomaki no tachi (糸巻太刀)

Japanese term for a type of tachi koshirae.
Allūbung logo

Allūbung

Ifugao word for a woven rattan covering on handles and shafts.