Antique Chinese QiJia Saber

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Quite possible.

But considering that we only have very few average photos available and that the condition of the sword is quite poor, we can only speculate whether it has a Japanese blade or not.

We can check the flexibility of the blade. If it's flexible, it is very sure not from Japan. Is it soft and easily to bend, it could come from Japan.
The reputation of japanese swords in western culture is much better than their value from the technical point of view, thanks to Hollywood. Very difficult to fight with, much more exigent than european swords, too soft and too slow. The european longsword or the Ottoman Kilij are worlds better than the famous Katana. The Europeans copied the Ottoman Kilij and Persian Shamshir but they never adopted the Katana.

As far as I know, the first japanese swords in the ~7th century were copys of chinese swords. The typical shape of a Katana is a chinese invention.

Roland