Swords — 20th century
About this product
About this collection
This collection covers 21 sword objects from the 20th century, delivered across 91 images in 14 ZIP assets. The 20th century saw the sword transition almost entirely from weapon to symbol — encompassing officer's dress swords, ceremonial blades, martial arts weapons, and commemorative pieces from British, European, and Asian manufacture, all catalogued under the Royal Armouries' Class IX system.
Why it matters
The 20th-century sword collection illuminates the object's cultural afterlife — how societies continued to invest meaning, craft, and ceremony in bladed weapons long after they ceased to be militarily relevant. These objects are important for the study of national identity, military tradition, and the globalisation of martial arts culture.
Use cases & time to value
- Ceremonial and protocol research: Reference for contemporary military dress and state ceremony contexts
- Martial arts history: Visual documentation of 20th-century practice sword and training weapon evolution
- Design history: Study of how traditional sword forms were reinterpreted through 20th-century manufacturing
- Educational content: Accessible imagery for teaching the transition from weapon to cultural symbol
- AI typology training: Extend historical datasets into the modern period
Data schema
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| object_number | string | Royal Armouries catalogue number (IX. prefix + sequence) |
| object_name | string | Standardised object type name |
| class | string | IX (Swords) |
| period | string | 20th century (1900–1999) |
| image_filename | string | Original filename as catalogued |
| image_format | string | tif, jpg, or bmp |
| width_px | integer | Image width in pixels |
| height_px | integer | Image height in pixels |
| file_size_bytes | integer | Uncompressed file size in bytes |
Collection stats
14 assets · 21 objects · 91 images · 20th century
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