I have a friend who is a woodworker and one day when I visited his shop he showed me his collection of japanese shaping and finishing planes. It was a cabinet with maybe 10 or 15 exquisite planes, most of them wooden bodies with steel blades and hardware.
He showed me a rabbet plane that was about 75--85mm long by 20mm wide. It's cost, when he purchased it in Japan back in the early 80's was about $800.00. He had a Tannewitz sliding table saw with a 14 or 16" blade, IIRC. He said the planes were worth much more than the machine.
I can only imagine what that katana is worth--something north of $100K wouldn't surprise me. The katana is to edge weaponry what the Stradivarius or Amati are to violins.
The price of a Katana depends on several factors: age and authenticity being two of them. The real Japanese samurai swords go for a packet. Antiques swords from the 12th to 14th Century are considered the best.
The Japanese government licences both Japanese and foreign smiths before they are allowed to produce newly made art swords, called shinsakuto. Modern katana sword makers have to participate in annual sword competitions to check their work. Shinsakuto smiths are only allowed to produce few blades each year and restricted to traditional methods.
Japanese law has set the standards on the best samurai swords into three categories: • Kokuho (Nation's Treasure or National Treasure) / $500,000 and up • Juyou-Bunkazai (Important Cultural Assets) / $300,000 and up • Juyou-Bijitsuhin (Important Artworks) / $200,000 and up
There are 900 swords classified as Juyo-Bunkazai so far, and only 122 of them are accepted as Kokuho. They have to remain in Japan at all times as penalties are dealt with when any one of them is sold or sent out of the country. In which case, the government reserves the right to buy the sword at a ‘fair market value’.
The swords considered Juyo-Bijutsuhin have been issued from 1933 to 1955. Their recognition is only good as long as they stay inside Japan. Outside the country they lose the recognition.
But, what do you think that lady expert was saying? The guy was operating on something beyond normal sense perception. What's that, like some kind of meditation thing? He becomes one with the bullet (pellet)?
I have a friend who is a woodworker and one day when I visited his shop he showed me his collection of japanese shaping and finishing planes. It was a cabinet with maybe 10 or 15 exquisite planes, most of them wooden bodies with steel blades and hardware.
ReplyDeleteHe showed me a rabbet plane that was about 75--85mm long by 20mm wide. It's cost, when he purchased it in Japan back in the early 80's was about $800.00. He had a Tannewitz sliding table saw with a 14 or 16" blade, IIRC. He said the planes were worth much more than the machine.
I can only imagine what that katana is worth--something north of $100K wouldn't surprise me. The katana is to edge weaponry what the Stradivarius or Amati are to violins.
The price of a Katana depends on several factors: age and authenticity being two of them. The real Japanese samurai swords go for a packet. Antiques swords from the 12th to 14th Century are considered the best.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese government licences both Japanese and foreign smiths before they are allowed to produce newly made art swords, called shinsakuto. Modern katana sword makers have to participate in annual sword competitions to check their work. Shinsakuto smiths are only allowed to produce few blades each year and restricted to traditional methods.
Japanese law has set the standards on the best samurai swords into three categories:
• Kokuho (Nation's Treasure or National Treasure) / $500,000 and up
• Juyou-Bunkazai (Important Cultural Assets) / $300,000 and up
• Juyou-Bijitsuhin (Important Artworks) / $200,000 and up
There are 900 swords classified as Juyo-Bunkazai so far, and only 122 of them are accepted as Kokuho. They have to remain in Japan at all times as penalties are dealt with when any one of them is sold or sent out of the country. In which case, the government reserves the right to buy the sword at a ‘fair market value’.
The swords considered Juyo-Bijutsuhin have been issued from 1933 to 1955. Their recognition is only good as long as they stay inside Japan. Outside the country they lose the recognition.
But, what do you think that lady expert was saying? The guy was operating on something beyond normal sense perception. What's that, like some kind of meditation thing? He becomes one with the bullet (pellet)?
ReplyDelete