A National Treasure Japanese sword from the Kamakura period stands up to the world standard of art and can inspire a future role for traditional swordsmiths. Published on By First, I think the price of new swords made by modern swordsmiths is too low. A sword by a master swordsmith costs about $50,000 USD.
Yes, it is possible to find swords at that price. Moreover, under the current system, there is a limit to the number of swords a swordsmith can make in a month. They are either allowed to make two long swords ( / ) or three short swords ( and [daggers]).
The same rule applies regardless of whether the smith is a veteran master swordsmith or a new young smith. Additionally, following the accident in the region in 2011, the production of charcoal has dropped significantly. As a result, the price of charcoal has tripled.
It is particularly problematic for swordsmiths as sword-making requires a lot of charcoal. I don't think making four swords will impact the quality of artisan-crafted swords, which is a concern for the . However, in the current situation, even if the number of swords that can be made is doubled, it will not fix the economic problems faced by swordsmiths.
It's because Japanese swords are completely underpriced compared to the international art world. For example, in 2020, Setouchi City ( ) purchased the national treasure / sword from a private collector for $5 million. The price sparked a heated debate.
However, compared to other artworks, it's quite affordable.