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 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 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 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, 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. 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.
If you are going to buy gun safes, pay attention to the Arm-Safe company. Good selection and reasonable prices.
Wars, whatever you say, are the engine of scientific and technological progress. Many people have heard of the so-called “arms race” between the USA and the USSR, which unfolded in the middle of the 20th century.
However, something similar has been happening in the world throughout the history of mankind: ever since swords of iron prevailed over swords of bronze, and a warrior riding a horse prevailed over his enemy on foot. It’s scary to imagine what resources humanity has wasted and will continue to waste due to primitive fear and paranoia. This review contains 6 military vehicles that are the most expensive on the planet. 
A few numbers. 
And further.
1. M1 Abrams
The American tank M1 Abrams was created back in the 80s of the last century. The vehicle has been modernized several times and today is the main tank of the US Army. The cost of one of these is $6.2 million. And this is in the basic configuration. The use of a variety of “special” equipment can almost double the cost of one unit. It is worth noting that the most modern Russian analogue, namely the T-14 “Armata” in the basic configuration costs almost half as much. The officially announced price at the time of 2016 was $3.7 million per unit.
Russian tank.
2. Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey
An insidious device.
The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor is the only flying vehicle of this kind, which is now mass-produced. A transport that combines the advantages of an airplane and a helicopter was developed 30 years ago by Boeing and Bell. Used by the US Air Force and Marine Corps.
The device flies thanks to two Rolls-Royce T406 engines. Today most of The design of the device is made of composite materials, which made it possible to reduce the weight of the device by 70%. According to official data, the machine costs 72.1 million US dollars, but some argue that the real price of the device is more than 116 million dollars per unit. For comparison, the Soviet “old man” Mi-8 costs only $17.5 million.
3. F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 Lightning II multirole stealth fighter-bomber belongs to the fifth generation. The fighter can perform vertical takeoff and landing. It can also use shortened runways for takeoff and landing. This device costs more than 100 million US dollars, according to independent experts. Official data were never made public. One could joke that Americans fly planes made of gold, but the domestic equivalent, namely the T-50 developed as part of the Russian PAK FA initiative, according to official data, costs at least 100 million US dollars per unit.
Russian.
4. Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
An American carrier-based aircraft that is used for radar detection. This “old man” was created back in the 60s of the last century and was modernized several times. The cost of one such machine in the basic, most modest configuration reaches 80 million US dollars. The only thing is that there are not many such aircraft in use.
Crew work.
5. Arleigh Burke DDG 51 Destroyer
The largest destroyer.
In fact, the Arleigh Burke is not one ship, but a whole family of destroyers that have been in service with the US Navy since 1988. As of the spring of 2010, Arleigh Burke DDG 51 Destroyer was the largest production destroyer in the world. Its total displacement is 5 thousand tons. Neither the USSR, nor the USA, nor subsequently Russia have created anything like this in this class of ships since the end of the Second World War. Considering that destroyers have been under construction for quite a long time, it is unlikely that even in the coming years any of the countries will be able to break the record set by American designers. However, we should not forget that: “The larger the closet, the…”.
6. USS Gerald R. Ford
Biggest American aircraft carrier to date. The USS Gerald R. Ford will enter service this year. The ship is super-heavy and the most advanced to date. It is named in honor of the 38th US President Gerald R. Ford. The ship took 8 years to build. This giant was launched in 2013. Its total displacement is 98,425 tons. Length – 337 meters. Width – 78 meters. Height – 76 meters. Powered by two nuclear reactors! This terrifying giant cost the US economy $12.8 billion.
Man is a rather cruel species, this is especially evident these days when technology has made it possible to develop all kinds of weapons mass destruction, capable of destroying thousands civilians in one fell swoop. Until technology intervened in this process, acts of violence were much more personal than mass. For thousands of years armies fought face to face, often with bare hands or using primitive tools. Such battles were cruel and bloody. The weapons used to fight in the Middle Ages have become legendary these days, and even legends have been attributed to some individual items. Today we invite you to study ten legendary and priceless swords from the Middle Ages that have survived to this day. Many of them managed to take dozens and hundreds of lives and have the greatest historical value.
10. Kamakura Katana, dating from the 13th century - $418,000
Katanas are traditional single-edged swords that have been used for hundreds of years. Japanese samurai. They were made from the best materials, it was believed that katanas are the sharpest and most exquisite swords in the world. 125 types of these swords have been listed cultural heritage Japan, which automatically created a ban on the sale and export of these weapons from Japan and gave them priceless status. In 1992 about 1100 Japanese swords from the collection of Dr. Walter Ames Compton was put up for auction. On the same day, the collection was sold for $8 million. Among the swords sold that day was the Kamakura, a 13th-century blade that sold for $418,000 to a private collector. This sword became the most expensive katana ever sold at a closed auction.
9. French officer's saber that belonged to Admiral Nelson - $541,720
Many artifacts are highly valuable not only because of their properties, but also because of who previously owned them. This was the case with the French officer's saber, which once belonged to Admiral Nelson. The saber was discovered in 2001 among many other treasures hidden near the admiral's relics. In addition to the saber, many valuable papers and documents, medals, jewelry and other weapons that once belonged to Nelson himself were discovered there. The relics were safely hidden by Nelson's close friend and confidant Alexander Davison, and lay untouched for almost 200 years. In 2002, a collection of Nelson's belongings was sold at Sotheby's in London for more than £2 million, setting a new price threshold for the sale of items that once belonged to Nelson. The collection's discovery story was published in 2004 under the title Nelson's Purse, named after Nelson's bloody purse, found among items believed to have been taken from the dying Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar.
8. 17th Century Indian Talwar Blade - $717,800
This royal blade was sold in 2007 at Sotheby's. The blade of the blade is distinguished by a slightly curved shape with traces of gold decoration and gold inlaid inscriptions. The sword was decorated with images of poppies and lotuses, and is believed to have belonged to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who lived in the 17th century. This blade was one of the most significant discoveries of this period, it was made especially for the personal use of the emperor in the tenth year of his reign. The sword was sold at auction for £446,100, more than seven times its original asking price.
7. Hunting knife, belonged to the Qianlong Emperor - $1.24 million
This exquisite hunting knife is believed to have belonged to the Qianlong Emperor, the sixth head of the Manchu Qing dynasty. The handle of the knife was made of horn rare species antelope, and in the handle itself there was a secret compartment where chopsticks and toothpicks were stored. The scabbard was made of rhinoceros horn and decorated with six dragons writhing among the clouds. The knife itself was made of gold and inlaid with turquoise, coral and lapis lazuli. After modern experts confirmed that it belonged to the Qianlong Emperor, the blade was sold at Sotheby's in 2009 for $1.24 million.
6. Sword of Ulysses Grant of the times Civil War- $1.6 million
This is another sword that once belonged to an important person who played a significant historical role. Ulysses Grant received this sword in 1864 as a gift from the people of Kentucky when he assumed the position of commander in chief of the US Army. The weapon is encrusted with 26 diamonds representing his initials: USG. The sword was sold in 2007 for $1.6 million by Heritage Auctions.
5. Knife “Pearl of the Orient” - $2.1 million
The "Pearl of the Orient" is a lavishly decorated blade created in 1966 by Buster Warenski when he was a twenty-year-old boy. Almost 50 years later, Warenski has gained fame as one of the world's greatest knife makers and has twice served as the guild's president. “Pearl of the Orient” was made to order from Japan. The filigree handle was set with 153 emeralds totaling 10 carats, nine diamonds weighing 5 carats each and 28 ounces of gold adorning the rest of the handle and blade. It is said that it took Warenski 10 years to complete the blade.
4. Shah Jahan's Dagger - $3.3 million
This is the second blade on our list that belonged to Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. In 2008, it was bought for £1.7 million at a Bonhams auction. The blade of the dagger is elegant and beautiful. Its final cost was five times higher than the initially stated price. The dagger was part of the collection of the late Jacques Desenfants of Belgium, who over 50 years amassed an impressive collection of weapons, armor, pottery and works of art from South-East Asia. The inscription on the dagger details the name, position of its owner, and the place and date of manufacture of the dagger.
3. Nasrid era dagger - $6 million
Daggers of this type were widely used in Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries, coming here through Italy. The blade of the dagger is decorated with a figurine of a man with a crossbow hunting numerous animals (among which there is even a lion). The dagger was sold in 2010 at Sotheby's in London for £3.7 million, six times its original asking price.
2. Gold-encrusted saber of Napoleon Bonaparte - $6.5 million
Napoleon Bonaparte was famous for his passion for carrying both a pistol and a saber on the battlefield. This gold-encrusted sword was his favorite bladed weapon, which he carried with him at the Battle of Marengo in 1800. The saber was passed down from generation to generation by members of the Bonaparte family, and was recognized historical heritage who is not allowed to leave the country. In 2007, it was sold by one of Napoleon's descendants to another of his descendants for $6.5 million. The curved saber was forged by Noel Boutet and inlaid with gold, and its handle is decorated with gold ornaments interspersed with ebony.
1. Bao Teng Saber - $7.7 million
This gorgeous sword was actually sold twice: first in 2006 for $5.93 million, and a year later for $7.7 million. It is an S-shaped saber with a white jade hilt and a stylized design of leaves and flowers. The steel blade is inlaid with gold, silver and copper. Its name "Bao Teng" literally means "Floating Jewel". The saber was made in the palace workshops of the Qianlong Imperial Palace. Over 47 years, only 90 such sabers were created.
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. We offer a list of the rarest and most expensive ones that have survived to this day. Many of them managed to take dozens and hundreds of lives, became overgrown with legends and have the greatest historical value.
10. Kamakura Katana, dating from the 13th century - $418,000
Katanas are traditional single-edged swords used by Japanese samurai for hundreds of years. They were made from the best materials; it was believed that katanas were the sharpest and most exquisite swords in the world. 125 types of these swords were included in the list of cultural heritage of Japan, which automatically created a ban on the sale and export of these weapons from Japan and gave them priceless status. In 1992, about 1,100 Japanese swords from the collection of Dr. Walter Ames Compton were put up for auction. On the same day, the collection was sold for $8 million. Among the swords sold that day was the Kamakura, a 13th-century blade that sold for $418,000 to a private collector. This sword became the most expensive katana ever sold at a closed auction.
9. French officer's saber that belonged to Admiral Nelson - $541,720
Many artifacts are highly valuable not only because of their properties, but also because of who previously owned them. This was the case with the French officer's saber, which once belonged to Admiral Nelson. The saber was discovered in 2001 among many other treasures hidden near the admiral's relics. In addition to the saber, many valuable papers and documents, medals, and other items that once belonged to Nelson himself were discovered there. The relics were safely hidden by Nelson's close friend and confidant Alexander Davison, and lay untouched for almost 200 years. In 2002, a collection of Nelson's belongings was sold at Sotheby's in London for more than £2 million, setting a new price threshold for the sale of items that once belonged to Nelson. The story of the collection's discovery was published in 2004 under the title "Nelson's Purse" - after Nelson's bloody purse, found among the belongings believed to have been taken from the dying Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar.
8. 17th Century Indian Talwar Blade - $717,800
This royal blade was sold in 2007 at Sotheby's. The blade of the blade is distinguished by a slightly curved shape with traces of gold decoration and gold inlaid inscriptions. The sword was decorated with images of poppies and lotuses, and is believed to have belonged to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who lived in the 17th century. This blade was one of the most significant discoveries of this period, it was made especially for the personal use of the emperor in the tenth year of his reign. The sword was sold at auction for £446,100, more than seven times its original asking price.
7. Hunting knife that belonged to the Qianlong Emperor - $1.24 million
This exquisite piece is believed to have belonged to the Qianlong Emperor, the sixth head of the Manchu Qing dynasty. The handle of the knife was made from the horn of a rare species of antelope, and the handle itself had a secret compartment where chopsticks and toothpicks were stored. The scabbard was made of rhinoceros horn and decorated with six dragons writhing among the clouds. The knife itself was made of gold and inlaid with turquoise, coral and lapis lazuli. After modern experts confirmed that it belonged to the Qianlong Emperor, the blade was sold at Sotheby's in 2009 for $1.24 million.
6. Ulysses Grant's Civil War Sword - $1.6 Million
This is another sword that once belonged to an important person who played a significant historical role. Ulysses Grant received this sword in 1864 as a gift from the people of Kentucky when he assumed the position of commander in chief of the US Army. The weapon is encrusted with 26 diamonds representing his initials: USG. The sword was sold in 2007 for $1.6 million by Heritage Auctions.
5. Knife "Pearl of the Orient" - $2.1 million
The "Pearl of the Orient" is a lavishly decorated blade created in 1966 by Buster Warenski when he was a twenty-year-old boy. Almost 50 years later, Warenski has gained fame as one of the world's greatest knife makers and has twice served as the guild's president. "Pearl of the East" was made to order from Japan. The filigree handle was set with 153 emeralds totaling 10 carats, nine diamonds weighing 5 carats each and 28 ounces of gold adorning the rest of the handle and blade. It is said that it took Warenski 10 years to complete the blade.
4. Shah Jahan's Dagger - $3.3 million
This is the second blade on our list that belonged to Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. In 2008, it was bought for £1.7 million at a Bonhams auction. The blade of the dagger is elegant and beautiful. Its final cost was five times higher than the initially stated price. The dagger was part of the collection of the late Jacques Desenfants of Belgium, who over 50 years amassed an impressive collection of weapons, armor, pottery and art from Southeast Asia. The inscription on the dagger details the name, position of its owner, and the place and date of manufacture of the dagger.
3. Nasrid era dagger - $6 million
Daggers of this type were widely used in Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries, coming here through Italy. The blade of the dagger is decorated with a figurine of a man with a crossbow hunting numerous animals (among which there is even a lion). The dagger was sold in 2010 at Sotheby's in London for £3.7 million, six times its original asking price.
2. Gold-encrusted saber of Napoleon Bonaparte - $6.5 million
Napoleon Bonaparte was famous for his passion for carrying both a pistol and a saber on the battlefield. This gold-encrusted sword was his favorite bladed weapon, which he carried with him at the Battle of Marengo in 1800. The saber was passed down from generation to generation by members of the Bonaparte family, and was recognized as a historical heritage that is not allowed to leave the country. In 2007, it was sold by one of Napoleon's descendants to another of his descendants for $6.5 million. The curved saber was forged by Noel Boutet and inlaid with gold, and its handle is decorated with gold ornaments interspersed with ebony.
1. Bao Teng Saber - $7.7 million
This gorgeous sword was actually sold twice: first in 2006 for $5.93 million, and a year later for $7.7 million. It is an S-shaped saber with a white jade hilt and a stylized design of leaves and flowers. The steel blade is inlaid with gold, silver and copper. Its name "Bao Teng" literally means "Floating Jewel". The saber was made in the palace workshops of the Qianlong Imperial Palace. Over 47 years, only 90 such sabers were created.
Loading...
