Chinese weapons collectors are concerned with fakes...in fact on of the Chinese forums I know has a specific titled something like fake antique/ replicas, etc
I remember taking the Chinese art history class in Hong Kong...and one thing I remember the teacher saying with Chinese painting originality was not valued necessarily but how it compared a recognized masterpiece.
For museums, I can understand the use of replica's...as people highlight the use of the copy for dinosaur bones, but I do think it sad to see there is such a market for the knock offs...some know and they are find with this..but always it is buyer beware/ educated....the knock off our of china do seem to be getting better.
I know for even some of the modern Chinese smiths there are knock off's of their swords...like Zheng Wu Tang.
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