Hello, this item is a Chinese-style single-edged sword or dao, probably produced during the late 20th or early 21st century as a decorative or functional martial-arts piece rather than as an antique military weapon. The broad curved blade carries the engraved characters 龍刀, read as “dragon sword” or “dragon blade.” Their placement on the exposed blade does not function as a traditional Japanese smith’s signature, which would normally appear on the tang beneath the handle. The construction also differs from a Japanese katana, with a cylindrical leather-covered grip and scabbard, simple brass fittings, no conventional tsuba visible, and an exposed threaded steel section indicating that the hilt is incomplete, loose, or partly disassembled.

The photographs show surface scratches, light oxidation, wear to the brass mounts, deformation of the leather covering, and deterioration around the open end of the grip or scabbard. No secure maker, period inscription, military association, or documented provenance can be established from the visible markings. A complete late 19th or 20th-century Chinese dao with a broad curved blade and leather-covered scabbard sold at auction for £160, but the incomplete construction and uncertain age of this example place it below stronger antique examples.

Fair Market Value: $75 - $150 USD