Guns, sabers, blades are truly men's “toys”. Sometimes the rich of this world are ready to pay crazy amounts of money for them: $70 thousand for a Swiss knife, $820 thousand for a rifle, more than $6 million for a saber. The Observer presented the ten most expensive weapons in the world.
1. Saber of Napoleon Bonaparte. Cost: $6.4 million. This Empire style saber was solemnly presented to Napoleon Bonaparte at the end of 1799 “for the Egyptian campaign.” It is a true work of weapon art. Its blade is forged from Damascus steel, the hilt is from gilded bronze. The top of the saber resembles a lion's head with a movable ring located in the mouth. Napoleon's saber went under the hammer for $6.4 million at the Osenat auction in 2007. It is unknown who got this unique weapon, since its owner wished to remain incognito. Interestingly, since 1978, Napoleon's saber has been recognized as a national treasure of France, therefore, according to obligations, the owner brings it to France for at least five months.
2. Blade “Pearl of the East”. Cost: $2.1 million. Collectors' blood boils at the sight of this bladed weapon, referred to as the “Pearl of the East.” Its creator is worldwide famous master bladed weapon Buster Warenski. The "Pearl of the Orient" blade is made of 18-karat gold and inlaid with many precious stones: 153 emeralds of 10 carats each and 10 huge diamonds. This precious knife was specially commissioned by a Japanese businessman who has a weakness for expensive weapons. It is worth noting that the rich Japanese man waited for the “Pearl” for more than 20 years. That's how long Buster Warenski worked on this unique blade, made entirely by hand.
3.VO Falcon EditionVapen. Cost: $820 thousand. The octagonal barrels of the VO Falcon Edition are made entirely by hand from the legendary Damascus steel, and the stock is made from walnut. So far, only one gun from this series has been released, but there are four more in the project. Each of these rifles will have a unique custom design. Most likely, the VO Falcon Edition gun will end up in the royal collection, since VO Vapen has been a supplier for several decades hunting weapons for King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. In addition, VO Vapen guns are used great success from Arab sheikhs.
4. Holland and Holland 20 gauge O/U. Cost: $550 thousand. Theodore Roosevelt himself went on safari with a gun of this famous English brand. And it was this barrel from which he shot American President, was sold at auction in 1994 for $550 thousand.
5. Katana Kamakura. Cost: $418 thousand Katana is a Japanese long (90-120 cm), slightly curved sword with one blade, used by samurai. Made from several thousand layers of pure steel. Just polishing such a sword took several weeks. As a result, they can easily cut through a falling silk scarf or hair. An unknown collector from Europe paid $418 thousand for a 13th-century Kamakura katana at a Christie's New York auction.
6. Fabbri shotgun. Cost: $229 thousand. This gun from the famous Italian weapons manufacturer Fabbri is made using a unique vacuum-thermal technology. It is produced in a limited edition of several pieces and is decorated with personal engraving reminiscent of works of art.
7. Purdey Royal Gun. Cost: $195 thousand James Purdey & Sons has been making weapons for almost 200 years. Queen Victoria herself bought guns from James Purdy. And now the company's client is Prince Charles. Weapons, maybe technical specifications and is slightly inferior to other famous brands, but appearance his is impeccable. It is made only by hand and to order. The most expensive Purdey product is a pair of guns – $195 thousand.
8. Shotgun IVO Fabbri 12G. Cost: $189 thousand. The IVO Fabbri 12G shotgun is also made by hand. Here, not only the barrel itself is a work of art, but also the exquisite case. However, for $189 thousand everything should be at the highest level!
9. Boss 12GA O/U. Cost: $125 thousand. The British company Boss produces royal guns. Members of the British royal family have more than one Boss gun in their collection. Boss 12GA O/U is distinguished by its lightness, beautiful engraving, and, of course, an impressive price - $125 thousand.
10. Swiss army knife. Cost: $70 thousand. It would seem like an ordinary Swiss Army knife, but it costs like a good car. In fact, this is a work of not only weapons, but also jewelry art. Its handle is made of 950-carat platinum and inlaid with 430 diamonds, totaling 4 carats. All special accessories of the knife (corkscrew, bottle opener, etc.) are also decorated with diamonds. Also included with the knife is a chic case and a chain made of pure gold.
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Men have always been considered warlike, and they showed this quality more actively in the Middle Ages. When technology allowed for the development of more threatening and lethal weapon mass destruction, medieval wars, which included a personalization factor in combat, no longer seemed so terrible. But the battle was cruel and bloody, and the soldiers had to look the enemy straight in the eyes. The weapons of that heroic time became valuable artifacts and even legendary. We offer an overview of the most expensive specimens that have survived to this day.
10. 13th century, katana sword from the Kamakura era - $418,000
Katana swords are traditional single-edged bladed weapons that were used Japanese samurai hundreds of years. The swords were made from the best alloy. 125 of these swords are considered Japanese heritage and are priceless. In 1992 about 1100 Japanese swords were offered for auction from the collection of Dr. Walter Ames Compton. They sold for $8 million on the first day. Among the swords in the collection was one dating back to the 13th century Kamakura era, which sold for $418,000 to an anonymous buyer. To date, this is the most expensive katana sword ever purchased.
9. Admiral Lord Nelson's French Officer's Saber - $541,720
Many artifacts are worth big money, as they belonged to famous historical figures, such as the officer’s saber of Admiral Lord Nelson, which was found along 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 more than 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 surrounding the collection and its discovery appeared in the press in 2004 under the title "Nelson's Purse", which was also in the collection and which was believed to be with him at the time of the admiral's death at the Battle of Trafalgar.
8. 17th century, Indian Talwar blade - $717,800
The royal blade was sold at Sotby's in 2007. This is a curved European blade with gold inlay elements and inscriptions. Poppies and lotuses were found among the images, and the sword itself dates back to the 17th century. It belonged to Shah Yahan. This is one of the most outstanding finds from the numerous objects belonging to the Mughal Empire. It was made in the tenth year of Yahan's reign, around 1637-1638. The blade was sold for an amount seven times higher than stated at auction.
7. Imperial hunting knife Qianlong era - $1.24 million
The unique hunting knife belonged to Qianlong, the 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 hiding place in which chopsticks and toothpicks were stored. The scabbard was made from rhinoceros horn, and depicted dragons soaring 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 belonged to the emperor. The weapon was sold at Sotby's in 2009 for HK$9,620,000.
6. Sword of Odysseus S. Grant period Civil War- $1.6 million
Another sword belonging to the famous historical figure, Odysseus S. Grant. He received it in 1864 from the people of Kentucky when he led the US Army during the Civil War. The sword is encrusted with 26 diamonds in the shape of Grant's initials. The weapon sold for $1.6 million in 2007 at Heritage Austion.
5. Knife “Pearl of the Orient” - $2.1 million
The Pearl of the Orient knife is a luxurious weapon designed and manufactured in 1966 by Buster Warenski in his 20s. After some time, he was already considered a world master of bladed weapons. For two years he headed the Guild of Edged Weapon Masters. The “Pearl of the Orient” 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 went into making the blade and handle. It took almost 10 years to make the knife.
4. Personal dagger of Shah Yahan - $3.3 million
This is the second blade on our list that belonged to Shah Yahan. In 2008 in London it was sold for 1,700,000 pounds, which was 5 times the stated amount. Shah Yahan ruled the Mughals from 1627 to 1657. His elegant dagger was inlaid with gold inscriptions and designs. It was in the collection of a Belgian admirer of Asian weapons, porcelain and other art objects. The name of the Shah, title, as well as the place and date of manufacture are written on the dagger.
3. 15th century, Nasrid era dagger - $6 million
Daggers with two blades and a handle head resembling a human ear are the most significant artifacts of the Nasrid period North Africa. Such daggers were widely used in Spain in the 15th and 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 its advertised amount - £3.7 million.
2. Napoleon Bonaparte's saber, inlaid with gold - $6.5 million
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 Bonaparte's brother, Jerome, sold the saber to another family member. The curved saber, decorated with gold, was made by Nicholas Noel Boutet.
1. 18th century, Bao-Teng saber - $7.7 million
The beautiful sword and scabbard sold twice in 2006 for $5.93 million and two years later for $7.7 million. This is the second weapon on our list that dates back to the era of the Qianlong Emperor. The S-shaped saber with a jade hilt is decorated with floral designs and is made of steel, gold and copper. On one side of the saber is depicted Bao Teng, the hero of poetic works. The blade itself was made in the imperial palace. A total of 90 such sabers were produced over 47 years.
On the military antiques market there has always been, is and will be a demand for items produced in a single copy, many of which can boast unique history. Most often these are weapons that belonged to great people or were associated with key events era. For example, Napoleon Bonaparte's saber was auctioned at the Osenat auction in 2007 for €4.8 million, becoming the most expensive antique European bladed weapon. Eastern military antiques compete with Western military antiques. Most shining example is a Chinese saber from the Qing Dynasty, sold for $7.5 million. Forbes has selected the 10 most expensive military antiques sold at auction sites over the past 13 years.
The most expensive saber
Price: HK$58.9 million ($7,581,608)
In 1748, Qing Dynasty Emperor Aixingero Hongli ordered the best masters The Celestial Empire created ceremonial sabers.
He personally supervised this project and is believed to have personally approved the design of each of them. A total of 90 sabers were made between 1748 and 1795. All of them had a handle made of white jade and were skillfully decorated with gold and silver, each received its own given name and serial number. In October 2008, one of these rare masterpieces of Chinese weaponry was auctioned at Sotheby's Hong Kong for an incredible amount of money - more than $7.5 million, setting a price record for Asian antique edged weapons! Saber has telling name Bao Teng, or Floating Treasure, and serial number 17.
The most expensive dagger
Price: £3,737,250 ($5,947,459)
Not many well-preserved weapons from the time of the Nasrids, the dynasty that ruled the Emirate of Granada (now the territory of Spain) from 1230 to 1492, have survived to this day. It was during this period that the skill of the artisans and artists of Muslim Spain manifested itself most clearly: for example, the famous Alhambra Palace was built precisely under the Nasrids. Owning objects created by Nasrid craftsmen is the dream of many collectors and museums around the world. When an exquisite dagger decorated with gold ornaments was put up for auction at Sotheby’s in London in October 2010, it became clear to everyone that a real fight would take place for it. As a result, with a maximum pre-sale estimate of £800,000, it went under the hammer for almost five times more!
The most expensive revolver
Price: $1,142,500
Only 21 31-caliber pocket revolvers decorated with gold-plated images of wild animals have survived to this day. Colt models 1849. They were released in a limited edition especially for the World Exhibition in London in 1851 and became a source of special pride and a unique “ business card» Samuel Colt: he gave them and sold them only to the most important of his contemporaries. In particular, the American gunsmith presented three such revolvers to Nicholas I - they are now kept in the Hermitage. So it’s not surprising that the Colt 1849 up for auction at Sotheby’s January 2012 serial number 63,306 easily surpassed the one million dollar mark.
The most expensive shield
Price: £457,300 ($923,151)
The silver-gilt Shield of Achilles, designed by the famous British artist, engraver and sculptor John Flaxman, was one of latest works great master who died in 1826. The shield was made by royal jewelers in 1823 for Ernst Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (who later became King of Hanover), served ceremonial and symbolic functions and was a true pinnacle of Regency jewelry. It masterfully depicts scenes from Homer's Iliad. Therefore, at the December Sotheby’s auction in London in 2007, the Shield of Achilles was sold for a record amount for such things.
The most expensive helmet
Price: $842,500
To date, only two Greek bronze helmets of the Cretan type with an open face are known to exist: one is exhibited in a museum in Hamburg, and the second was sold at Christie's auction in New York in June 2010. It was created at the very beginning of the Archaic period Ancient Greece- in the middle of the 7th century. BC. Not everyone could afford such a thing in those days: it is quite possible that the helmet belonged to a noble warrior or even a king. It's surprising that it's so ancient artifact In general, it has survived to this day almost in perfect condition. It is noteworthy that before the start of the auction, a helmet decorated with skillfully depicted scenes from ancient greek myths, was maximally valued at just $550,000.
The most expensive armor
Price: $602,500
In October 2009, at the New York auction Christie's, unique samurai armor created at the very beginning of the Edo period (1603-1868) was put under the hammer. They were part of the collection of Kiya Tokugawa himself: representatives of the noble Tokugawa family actually ruled Japan for for more than two and a half centuries. It is quite possible that the armor sold in New York was once worn by the shogun himself. It is masterfully made according to all the canons of the time and richly decorated with gold. Such a rarity is rarely seen even in Japan itself, but beyond its borders and even more so, so the final sale price exceeded maximum score more than twice.
The most expensive katana sword
Price: £120,000 ($238,320)
In Japan, all blades created by great masters like Masamune are prohibited from being exported from the country without special permission, since they are declared national treasures. But in late XIX— at the beginning of the 20th century there were no such bans, and some ancient katanas still found their way to the West. Samurai sword, put up for auction at Christie's May 2007 auction in London, is just one of them. It was created by the outstanding blacksmith Norishige, who learned the art of katana making along with Masamune and Yukimitsu from the great master Shintogo Kunimitsu. The blade was forged in very early in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), which is why the sale price exceeded the estimated value of £40,000.
The most expensive spear
Price: €108,750 When
The Democratic Republic of the Congo was still the Belgian Congo; nothing prevented Europeans from exporting from the country not only resources, but also objects of traditional African art, including weapons. Its most valuable specimens pop up on auction sites every now and then, and sometimes set price records. This is what happened, for example, with the royal Luba spear, which was sold at the December Sotheby’s auction in Paris in 2012. It was auctioned for a record price, which turned out to be twice the maximum estimated value. The Luba spear could only belong to the leader of a large tribe; it was used as a ceremonial weapon, and literally several dozen such objects have survived.
The most expensive musket
Price: £27,500 ($42,817)
In December 2008, at Christie's London auction, a very rare 1780 musket, which belonged to a guard from the personal guard, was sold Turkish Sultan Abdul-Hamid I. In total, 10 similar firearms have survived to this day. Nine are kept in museums (including one can be seen in the Gatchina Arsenal in St. Petersburg) and one - in private collection. All of these muskets were made by the best Ottoman gunsmiths and were richly decorated with precious metals. Therefore, the copy sold at the December auction set a price record for this kind of lot, and its final price was one and a half times higher than the maximum estimated value - £18,000.
The most expensive crossbow
Price: €33,800
Most likely a German hunting crossbow early XVII century, sold at Sotheby's in Munich in October 2005, belonged to a wealthy knight or nobleman. At least, its craftsmanship and rich finish allow us to make such a judgment: it was probably made to order from the best gunsmiths. Surprisingly, the crossbow has survived to this day in perfect condition, retaining all the original details. The maximum estimated cost of the weapon was €18,000, but it was eventually sold for almost twice that amount. It is noteworthy that at the New York Christie's auction in March 2010, a part (!) from the mechanism of a Chinese crossbow of the 1st-4th centuries AD was auctioned for $56,250.
The sword has always been the weapon of the nobility. The knights treated their blades as comrades in battle, and, having lost his sword in battle, a warrior covered himself with indelible shame. Among the glorious representatives of this type of bladed weapon there is also its own “nobility” - famous blades, which, according to legend, have magical properties, for example, putting enemies to flight and protecting their owner. There is some truth in such tales - an artifact sword by its very appearance could inspire the companions of its owner. We present to you 1 2 most famous deadly relics in history.
1. The Sword in the Stone
Many people remember the legend of King Arthur, which tells how he plunged his sword into a stone to prove his right to the throne. Despite the complete fantastic nature of this story, it may be based on real events that only occurred much later than the estimated reign of the legendary king of the Britons.
In the Italian chapel of Monte Siepi there is kept a block with a blade firmly embedded in it, which, according to some sources, belonged to the Tuscan knight Galliano Guidotti, who lived in the 12th century.
According to legend, Guidotti had a bad temper and led a rather dissolute lifestyle, so one day the Archangel Michael appeared to him and urged him to take the path of serving the Lord, that is, to become a monk. Laughing, the knight declared that going to the monastery would be as difficult for him as cutting a stone, and to confirm his words, he forcefully struck a boulder lying nearby with his blade. The Archangel showed the stubborn man a miracle - the blade easily entered the stone, and the amazed Galliano left it there, after which he embarked on the path of correction and was later canonized, and the fame of his sword, which pierced the stone, spread throughout Europe.
Having subjected the block and sword to radiocarbon analysis, an employee of the University of Pavia, Luigi Garlaschelli, discovered that some part of this story may well be true: the age of the stone and sword is about eight centuries, that is, it coincides with the life of Signor Guidotti.
2. Kusanagi no Tsurugi
This mythical sword has been a symbol of the power of Japanese emperors for several centuries. Kusanagi no tsurugi (translated from Japanese as “sword that mows grass”) is also known as Ame-nomurakumo no tsurugi - “sword that collects the clouds of heaven.”
The Japanese epic says that the sword was found by the wind god Susanoo in the body of an eight-headed dragon he killed. Susanoo gave the blade to his sister, the sun goddess Amaterasu, later it ended up with her grandson Ninigi, and after some time it went to the demigod Jimmu, who then became the first emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun.
It is interesting that the Japanese authorities never put the sword on public display, but, on the contrary, tried to hide it away from prying eyes - even during coronations the sword was carried out wrapped in linen. It is believed to be kept at the Atsuta Shinto shrine in Nagoya, but there is no evidence of its existence.
The only ruler of Japan to publicly mention the sword was Emperor Hirohito: giving up the throne after the country's defeat in World War II, he called on the temple servants to keep the sword at all costs.
3. Durendal
For centuries, parishioners of the Not-Dame chapel, located in the city of Rocamadour, could see a sword stuck in the wall, which, according to legend, belonged to Roland himself, a hero of medieval epics and legends who existed in reality.
According to legend, he threw his magic blade while protecting the chapel from the enemy, and the sword remained in the wall. Attracted by these tales of the monks, numerous pilgrims flocked to Rocamadour, who retold the story of Roland's sword to each other, and thus the legend spread throughout Europe.
However, according to scientists, the sword in the chapel is not the legendary Durandal, with which Roland terrified his enemies. The famous knight of Charlemagne died on August 15, 778 in a battle with the Basques in the Roncesvalles Gorge, located hundreds of kilometers from Rocamadour, and rumors about “Durandal” lodged in the wall began to appear only in the middle of the 12th century, almost simultaneously with writing "The Song of Roland". The monks simply associated Roland's name with the sword to ensure a steady stream of worshipers. But rejecting the version about Roland as the owner of the blade, experts cannot offer anything in return - who it belonged to will probably remain a mystery.
By the way, now the sword is not in the chapel - in 2011 it was removed from the wall and sent to the Paris Museum of the Middle Ages. It is also interesting that in French the word "Durandal" is feminine, so Roland probably felt not friendly affection for his sword, but real passion and could hardly throw his beloved against the wall.
4. Bloodthirsty Blades of Muramasa
Muramasa is a famous Japanese swordsman and blacksmith who lived in the 16th century. According to legend, Muramasa prayed to the gods to imbue his blades with bloodthirstiness and destructive force. The master did very good swords, and the gods respected his request by placing a demonic spirit of extermination of all living things in each blade.
It is believed that if the Muramasa sword gathers dust for a long time without use, it can provoke the owner to commit murder or suicide in order to “drink” blood in this way. There are countless stories of Muramasa sword wielders who went crazy or slaughtered many people. After a series of accidents and murders that occurred in the family of the famous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, which popular rumor associated with Muramasa's curse, the government outlawed the master's blades, and most of them were destroyed.
To be fair, it must be said that the Muramasa school is an entire dynasty of gunsmiths that lasted for about a century, so the story of the “demonic spirit of bloodthirstiness” embedded in swords is nothing more than a legend. The curse of the blades made by the masters of the school was, paradoxically as it may sound, their exceptional quality. Many experienced warriors preferred them to other swords and, apparently, thanks to their art and the sharpness of Muramasa’s blades, they won victories more often than others.
5. Honjo Masamune
Unlike the bloodthirsty swords of Muramasa, the blades made by the master Masamune, according to legend, endowed warriors with calmness and wisdom. According to legend, in order to find out whose blades were better and sharper, Muramasa and Masamune dipped their swords into a river with lotuses. The flowers revealed the essence of each of the masters: the blade of Masamune’s sword did not inflict a single scratch on them, because his blades cannot harm the innocent, and Muramasa’s product, on the contrary, seemed to be striving to cut the flowers into small pieces, justifying its reputation.
Of course it is pure water fiction - Masamune lived almost two centuries earlier than the gunsmiths of the Muramasa school. However, Masamune swords are truly unique: the secret of their strength cannot be revealed to this day, even using Newest technologies and research methods.
All surviving blades made by the master are the national treasure of the Country Rising Sun and are carefully guarded, but the best of them, Honjo Masamune, was given to American soldier Colde Bimor after the Japanese surrender in World War II, and its whereabouts are currently unknown. The government of the country is trying to find a unique blade, but so far, alas, in vain.
6. Joyeuse
The Joyeuse blade (translated from the French “joyeuse” - “joyful”), according to legend, belonged to the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne, and long years served him faithfully. According to legend, he could change the color of the blade up to 30 times a day and outshine the Sun with its brightness. Currently, there are two blades that the famous monarch could wield.
One of them, used for many years as a coronation sword French kings, is kept in the Louvre, and for hundreds of years the controversy has not subsided as to whether Charlemagne’s hand actually squeezed its handle. Radiocarbon dating proves that this cannot be true: the surviving old part of the sword exhibited in the Louvre (over the past hundreds of years it has been remade and restored more than once) was created between the 10th and 11th centuries, after the death of Charlemagne (the emperor died in 814). Some believe that the sword was made after the destruction of the present Joyeuse and is his an exact copy, or there is a part of “Joyful” in it.
The second contender for belonging to the legendary king is the so-called saber of Charlemagne, now located in one of the museums in Vienna. Experts differ regarding the time of its manufacture, but many admit that it could still have belonged to Charles: he probably captured the weapon as a trophy during one of his campaigns in Eastern Europe. Of course, this is not the famous Joyeuse, but, nevertheless, the saber has no price as a historical artifact.
7. Sword of St. Peter
There is a legend that the blade, which is part of the exhibition of the museum in the Polish city of Poznan, is nothing more than the sword with which the Apostle Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant during the arrest of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. This sword was brought to Poland in 968 by Bishop Jordan, who assured everyone that the blade belonged to Peter. Adherents of this myth believe that the sword was forged at the beginning of the 1st century somewhere on the eastern outskirts of the Roman Empire
Most researchers, however, are confident that the weapon was made much later than the events described in the Bible, this is confirmed by an analysis of the metal from which the sword and the falchion-type blade were smelted - such swords simply were not made in the time of the apostles, they appeared only in the 11th century .
8. Wallace's Sword
According to legend, Sir William Wallace, a military commander and leader of the Scots in the struggle for independence from England, after winning the Battle of Stirling Bridge, covered the hilt of his sword with the skin of the treasurer, Hugh de Cressingham, who was collecting taxes for the English. One must think that the unfortunate treasurer had to endure many terrible moments before his death, because in addition to the hilt, Wallace made a scabbard and a sword belt from the same material.
According to another version of the legend, Wallace made only a sword belt from leather, but it is incredibly difficult to say anything for sure now, because at the request of King James IV of Scotland, the sword was redesigned - the old worn finish of the sword was replaced with one more befitting of this great artifact.
Probably, Sir William could really decorate his weapon with the skin of the treasurer: as a patriot of his country, he hated traitors who collaborated with the occupiers. However, there is another opinion - many believe that the story was invented by the British to create the image of a bloodthirsty monster for the fighter for Scottish independence. We will most likely never know the truth.
9. Goujian Sword
In 1965, in one of the ancient Chinese tombs, archaeologists found a sword on which, despite the dampness that had surrounded it for many years, there was not a single spot of rust - the weapon was in excellent condition, one of the scientists even cut his finger when checking the sharpness blades. Having carefully studied the find, experts were surprised to note that it was at least 2.5 thousand years old.
According to the most common version, the sword belonged to Goujian, one of the vans (rulers) of the kingdom of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period. Researchers believe that this particular blade was mentioned in a lost work on the history of the kingdom. According to one legend, Goujian considered this sword to be the only standing weapon in his collection, and another legend says that the sword is so beautiful that it could only have been created with common effort Earth and Heaven.
The sword was perfectly preserved solely thanks to the art of ancient Chinese gunsmiths: the blade was made using a stainless alloy invented by them, and the scabbard of this weapon fit so tightly to the blade that air access to it was practically blocked.
10. Seven-pronged sword
This unusually beautiful blade was discovered in 1945 at the Isonokami-jingu Shinto shrine (Tenri, Japan). The sword is strikingly different from the usual edged weapons from the Land of the Rising Sun, first of all, in the complex shape of the blade - it has six bizarre branches, and the seventh, obviously, was considered the tip of the blade - therefore the found weapon received the name Nanatsusaya-no-tachi (translated . from Japanese - “Seven-toothed sword”).
The sword was stored in terrible conditions (which is very uncharacteristic for the Japanese), so its condition leaves much to be desired. There is an inscription on the blade, according to which the ruler of Korea gave this weapon to one of the Chinese emperors.
A description of exactly the same blade is found in Nihon Shoki, ancient work on the history of Japan: according to legend, the seven-pronged sword was presented as a gift to the semi-mythical Empress Jingu.
Having carefully studied the sword, experts came to the conclusion that, most likely, this is the same legendary artifact, since the estimated time of its creation coincides with the events described in the Nihon Shoki, in addition, it also mentions the Isonokami-jingu shrine, so the relic was just lying there there for more than 1.5 thousand years until she was found.
11. Tizona
The weapon that belonged to the legendary Spanish hero Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid Campeador, is now located in the cathedral of Burgos and is considered a national treasure of Spain.
After the death of Sid, the weapon went to the ancestors of the Spanish king Ferdinand II of Aragon, and the king who inherited it gave the relic to the Marquis de Falces. The descendants of the Marquis carefully preserved the artifact for hundreds of years, and in 1944, with their permission, the sword became part of the exhibition of the Royal Military Museum in Madrid. In 2007, the owner of the sword sold it to the authorities of the region of Castile and Leon for $2 million, and they transferred it to the cathedral where El Cid is buried.
Employees of the Ministry of Culture were offended by the sale of the sword, and they began to spread information that it was a later fake that had nothing to do with de Vivar. However, a thorough analysis confirmed that although the worn “native” hilt of the weapon was replaced with another in the 16th century, its blade was made in the 11th century, that is, the sword most likely belonged to the hero.
12. Ulfbert
In our time, such swords have been practically forgotten, but in the Middle Ages, when the word “Ulfbert” was heard, the enemies of the Vikings experienced genuine horror. The honor of possessing such weapons belonged exclusively to the elite of the Scandinavian armed forces, because Ulfberts were much stronger than other swords of that time. Most of Medieval bladed weapons were cast from brittle low-carbon steel with an admixture of slag, and the Vikings for their swords purchased crucible steel from Iran and Afghanistan, which is much stronger.
Now it is unknown who this Ulfbert was, and whether he was the first to think of creating such swords, but it was his mark that stood on all swords made in Europe from Iranian and Afghan metal. Ulfberts are perhaps the most advanced melee weapon of the early Middle Ages, far ahead of their time. Blades of comparable strength began to be mass-produced in Europe only in the second half of the 18th century with the beginning of the global industrial revolution.
Guns, sabers, blades are truly men's “toys”. Sometimes the rich of this world are ready to pay crazy amounts of money for them: $70 thousand for a Swiss knife, $820 thousand for a rifle, more than $6 million for a saber. We present the ten most expensive weapons in the world.
1. Saber of Napoleon Bonaparte. Cost: $6.4 million. This Empire style saber was solemnly presented to Napoleon Bonaparte at the end of 1799 “for the Egyptian campaign.” It is a true work of weapon art. Its blade is forged from Damascus steel, the hilt is from gilded bronze. The top of the saber resembles a lion's head with a movable ring located in the mouth. Napoleon's saber went under the hammer for $6.4 million at the Osenat auction in 2007. It is unknown who got this unique weapon, since its owner wished to remain incognito. Interestingly, since 1978, Napoleon's saber has been recognized as a national treasure of France, therefore, according to obligations, the owner brings it to France for at least five months.
2. Blade "Pearl of the East". Cost: $2.1 million. Collectors' blood boils at the sight of this bladed weapon, referred to as the "Pearl of the East." Its creator is the world famous master of bladed weapons, Buster Warensky. The "Pearl of the Orient" blade is made of 18-karat gold and inlaid with many precious stones: 153 emeralds of 10 carats each and 10 huge diamonds. This precious knife was made by special order of a Japanese businessman who has a weakness for expensive weapons. It is worth noting that the rich Japanese man waited for the “Pearl” for more than 20 years. That's how long Buster Warenski worked on this unique blade, made entirely by hand.
3.VO Falcon EditionVapen. Cost: $820 thousand. The octagonal barrels of the VO Falcon Edition are made entirely by hand from the legendary Damascus steel, and the stock is made of walnut. So far, only one gun from this series has been released, but there are four more in the project. Each of these rifles will have a unique custom design. Most likely, the VO Falcon Edition gun will end up in the royal collection, since VO Vapen has been a supplier of hunting weapons to the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, for several decades. In addition, VO Vapen guns are very popular among Arab sheikhs.
4. Holland and Holland 20 gauge O/U. Cost: $550 thousand. Theodore Roosevelt himself went on safari with a gun of this famous English brand. And it was this barrel, from which the American president shot, that was sold at auction in 1994 for $550 thousand.
5. Katana Kamakura. Cost: $418 thousand. Katana is a Japanese long (90-120 cm), slightly curved sword with one blade, which was used by samurai. Made from several thousand layers of pure steel. Just polishing such a sword took several weeks. As a result, they can easily cut through a falling silk scarf or hair. An unknown collector from Europe paid $418 thousand for a 13th-century Kamakura katana at a Christie's New York auction.
6. Fabbri shotgun. Cost: $229 thousand. This gun from the famous Italian weapons manufacturer Fabbri is made using a unique vacuum-thermal technology. It is produced in a limited edition of several pieces and is decorated with personal engraving reminiscent of works of art.
7. Purdey Royal Gun. Cost: $195 thousand James Purdey & Sons has been making weapons for almost 200 years. Queen Victoria herself bought guns from James Purdy. And now the company's client is Prince Charles. The weapon may be slightly inferior in technical characteristics to other famous brands, but its appearance is impeccable. It is made only by hand and to order. The most expensive Purdey product is a pair of guns - $195 thousand.
8. Shotgun IVO Fabbri 12G. Cost: $189 thousand. The IVO Fabbri 12G shotgun is also made by hand. Here, not only the barrel itself is a work of art, but also the exquisite case. However, for $189 thousand everything should be at the highest level!
9. Boss 12GA O/U. Cost: $125 thousand. The British company Boss produces royal guns. Members of the British royal family have more than one Boss gun in their collection. Boss 12GA O/U is distinguished by its lightness, beautiful engraving, and, of course, an impressive price - $125 thousand.
10. Swiss army knife. Cost: $70 thousand. It would seem like an ordinary Swiss Army knife, but it costs like a good car. In fact, this is a work of not only weapons, but also jewelry art. Its handle is made of 950-carat platinum and inlaid with 430 diamonds, totaling 4 carats. All special accessories of the knife (corkscrew, bottle opener, etc.) are also decorated with diamonds. Also included with the knife is a chic case and a chain made of pure gold.
If you are going to buy gun safes, pay attention to the Arm-Safe company. Good selection and reasonable prices.
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