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From a replica medieval sword to a fully functioning German World War II Mauser rifle, decorative and commemorative weaponry is a specialized yet viable market.
The collectors, theater people, re-enactors, antique dealers, history buffs, martial artists, decorators and fencers who are among the end users may share little in common other than a desire to possess a piece of history in the form of a sword or gun.
Living by the sword
For the army/navy store merchant, historical weaponry is, at best, a peripheral business. Although inexpensive replicas and fantasy swords are the most salable items, the market for these items has diminished as Hollywood has produced fewer films featuring swordplay and oriental martial arts, such as The Last Samurai, said Barry Ross of CAS Hanwei.
"The sword business was growing until about two and a half years ago, when it plateaued," said Ross. "Today the market is more sophisticated, and the casual sword buyer has dropped out. The market today is higher end swords but at a lower volume."
CAS Hanwei produces a large inventory of replica swords from Asia and Europe. The company manufactures a series of replicas of the 19th century American Bowie knife, a long bladed fighting knife that, today, is bought mainly by hunters, collectors and history buffs.
Samurai swords comprise a substantial segment of CAS Hanwei's business.
"The Samurai were a Japanese warrior class that had a very recognizable style of sword, and there is a cadre of Sumurai sword collectors," Ross explained.
But CAS Hanwei's swords are not designed merely to hang over a fireplace. Although the company sells blunt-edged swords to actors for on-stage swordplay and to re-enactors, the majority of its swords have fully sharpened blades.
"If the original had an edged blade, ours will too," said Ross.
An authentic Samurai sword can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, said Ross. CAS Hanwei replicas are made to standards for the cutting martial arts. Retail prices of a Katana, a sword used for cutting exercises, range from $300-$1500.
Samurai swords are divided into two main martial arts classes, said Ross. The first, Ieto, involves practice in the handling of a Japanese sword. The other category is the art of cutting, called Tameshigiri, and students practice on reeds, rope and other materials.
As a student becomes proficient in the use of swords, Ross said, it is not uncommon for his teacher to change his swords to a blunt edged model to prevent injury.
For the army/navy store merchant, moderately priced replicas and fantasy swords are the most salable weapons. But this market has diminished, and CAS Hanwei has largely discontinued its line of fantasy swords.
"We have done fantasy swords in the past, but today people want authenticity. The market has changed," said Ross.
Location, location, ...
The success of an army/navy store in marketing replicas of historical weapons depends much on the store's location, said Ross, who estimates that army/navy merchants comprise only about five percent of his customer base.
"If your store is in an area where there are a lot of re-enactors, you will do well with swords," he said.
Collector's Armoury of Lorton, Virginia has been producing replicas of historical weaponry and miscellaneous historical items for more than 20 years. A substantial portion of the company's business is with movies and television, said president Jim Hernley. Other customers include antique stores, re-enactors and a variety of retailers.
It makes economic sense for a collector to buy a replica rather than an authentic weapon, Hernley said.
"The cost of the originals is out of sight. The average person cannot afford them. It is the difference between a $200 gun and a $20,000 gun," he said.
Popular categories include pirate and Old West weapons. Although interest in the Civil War has declined, the Confederate officer's sword is still a top seller.
Interest in World War II re-enactment is growing rapidly, and replicas of German weapons, field gear and military apparel are in strong demand.
"German re-enactors are a big business today," said Hernley, who sells replicas of the German MP-40 machine pistol and the Russian AK-47, as well as German swords, daggers and helmets.
Recently, Collectors Armoury brought out a line of German camo, and sales have been strong.
Framed replicas of western and Civil War gun sets are another big seller, especially as gifts. The gun is enclosed in a commemorative wood frame or box and includes accessory items, such as a drawing, insignia or western badge.
"We cross over into a lot of different market places," Hernley said.
America Remembers specializes in issuing exclusive limited editions of firearms to honor and commemorate significant events and figures in American history.
The Ashland, Virginia-based company has worked with Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, the family of Gen. George Patton, Wayne Enterprises, Elvis Presley Enterprises, among others and has produced commemorative handguns for colleges and universities, including West Point.
All tributes are working firearms, including some black powder, rifles and shotguns, and are produced in editions of 300-1,000 pieces.
Most tributes are issued under license agreement with organizations, celebrities, foundations or associations, with which the company works to produce the editions. America Remembers creates the artwork and handles all marketing of the project, but each step of the process is approved and authorized by the licensor.
"We sell by mail and on the web and we do direct advertising," said spokesman Jeff Belcher. "There are gun shops that buy from us, but we have one price and the gun shops have to mark up the price on their own."
The company complies with all state laws regarding background checks and does its own background check on potential customers.
Inter Ordinance Inc. takes collecting historical weaponry to the ultimate step of dealing in actual weapons, many fully operational.
The Monroe, North Carolina wholesaler imports firearms from former Eastern bloc nations and its inventory includes German World War II Mauser rifles and Luftwaffe rifles, said co-owner Uli Weigand.
The company also wholesales a line of replica holsters, bayonets and medieval armor.
Most of Weigand's customers are firearm dealers who possess a federal Curio and Relic license, which is necessary for buying guns classified as collectibles or guns that are more than 30 years old.
author: BY HOWARD PROSNITZ