THE OLDER EXAMPLES OF THESE ARE QUITE NICE AND THE INLAYING OF METAL INTO THE HANDLE AND SCABBARD AS WELL AS THE INLAYED TWISTED WIRE IN THE BLADES IS UNIQUE. PERHAPS THEY DID HAVE A FUNCTION OTHER THAN CEREMONY IN THE PAST AS I HAVE SEEN THEM IN PICTURES OF VERY OLD COLLECTIONS. THE NEWER ONES WITH THE PLASTIC IMITATION CORAL INLAY ARE SHOWY BUT THE WORKMANSHIP IS INFERIOR TO THE OLDER ONES.
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