quote:
As for it not being a Samurai sword, what does that really mean and why should we care?
Gentlemen,
I agree with Hayabusa2 since the term has no real meaning. One can collect "Samurai" swords, "Art" swords, or "Military" swords. They are all different things and why would we want to compare one to another?
IMHO Japanese sword collectors who denegrate "mass produced" military swords are missing the boat. If they don't want to collect them, then that is a personal choice and it is fine and dandy. I believe that a Showa period military sword has a story to tell and is just as collectable as an "old" sword. The Showa Navy kai-gunto sword is certainly not as expensive as, say an old or early new sword but it certainly has a fascinating history and lots of folks collect them. The auction above is an example of the interest and the real value of some of these swords. Auction trends will (with some exceptions) generally reflect the value of a given item on any given day.
