Since ancient times, weapons have inspired fear and were created for protection or killing. But over time, they have become the goal of many collectors, and some examples have lined up in a row of the most expensive things that not every owner can afford. More and more often, the possession of such weapons is becoming an indicator of the owner's sufficiency and his status. Sometimes it is just a hobby, and judging from this list, it is quite expensive.
1. Swiss Army Knife - $70 thousand
The most expensive Swiss knife has a platinum handle, on which 430 diamonds with a total weight of 4 carats are adorned. All the accessories (from the corkscrew to the bottle opener) of the knife are also decorated with high-grade diamonds. A luxurious case and a gold chain complete this set.
2. Weapons of the monarchs - $125 thousand
The Boss 12GA O/U Royal Shotgun was specially created by Boss for the collection of British monarchs. Luxurious engraving, lightweight construction and an incredibly high price are the main differences between this exhibit and a regular double-barreled shotgun.
3. Spielberg's shotgun - $189 thousand
The ІVO Fabbri 12G is a handcrafted Italian shotgun. The luxurious case is also custom-made, so overall this work of art was much loved by the King of Spain Juan Carlos and director Steven Spielberg is delighted with it.
4. Victoria's Double-Barreled Shotgun - $195 thousand
The Queen of Great Britain has become a regular customer of James Purdey&Sons, which has been on the arms market for 200 years. James Purdey is the founder of the arms house, where guns are made only by hand and exclusively to order. The price of a pair of such copies is $195 thousand.
5. Vacuum shotgun - $229 thousand
A limited number of this Italian gun was released by the manufacturer Fabbri. The feature that dictates the price is the production in a unique vacuum-thermal technology. Also, each copy is decorated with an individual engraving, which in complexity is a whole work of art.
6. Samurai sword - $418 thousand
Katana is a samurai sword. The length of the Japanese sword is about 120 cm. The slightly curved blade is made of a thousand layers of the purest steel, which is polished for about a month. As a result of these manipulations, the katana is capable of cutting hair or a silk scarf in mid-air. At an auction in New York, a collector whose name remains unknown paid $418 thousand for a 13th-century Kamakura katana.
7. Roosevelt's approval - $550 thousand
At auction in 1994, a Holland and Holland 20 gauge O/U shotgun, which Theodore Roosevelt used on safari, was sold for $550,000.
8. Damascus steel barrel - $820 thousand
Only one example of this gun was released from the series. The octagonal barrel shape, Damascus steel, walnut wood and hand-made production of this weapon made the price exorbitant, but four more such examples are planned. Each of the VO Falcon Edition rifles has an individual pattern that will decorate it and become a distinctive feature. Experts believe that the rifle will soon settle in the king's collection, because the company has been making hunting weapons for the palace for decades. These VO Vapen guns are also popular among Arab sheikhs who know a lot about weapons.
9. Blade "Pearl of the East" - $2.1 million
Collectors look with bated breath at the Pearl of the East, which was created by the world-famous master of arms Buster Warenski. And it is not surprising, because the blade of pure gold is decorated with 153 emeralds of 10 carats and a dozen huge diamonds. This special order for a Japanese businessman took more than twenty years to complete.
10. Napoleon Bonaparte's Sabre - $6.4 million
Well, the most expensive weapon in the world is considered to be Napoleon Bonaparte's sabre, which was awarded to him in 1799 for the "Egyptian campaign". Among other weapons, in addition to its cost, it is considered a work of art. Damascus steel is the base of the blade, and gilded bronze is for the hilt. The top of the sabre is a lion's head with a movable ring in its mouth. In 2007, Napoleon's weapon was sold at auction for almost six and a half million dollars. The owner of the most expensive weapon in the world decided to remain anonymous. But the fact that since 1978 the weapon has become a national treasure in France obliges the owner to bring the relic to his homeland for 5 months.
