A group of modern-day knights known as the “Samurai of Wall Street” is set to donate a centuries-old samurai sword to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Prior to the donation, the group intends to mint the sword as a non-fungible token (NFT) on the Ethereum blockchain. The NFT will be offered for sale, and the buyers will receive a physical and digital copy of the sword’s metadata. This creative approach to donating cultural pieces is the latest development driving the intersection between blockchain technology and traditional art forms. The samurai sword comes from a significant period in Japanese history and is set to be a valuable addition to the Met’s extensive collection. The modern-day samurais are committed to preserving the past and simultaneously embracing contemporary technology to explore new ways of engaging with history. Their NFT samurai sword is a testament to this mission.
Reviving History: The Knights Who Say Nah and their Mission to Preserve Historical Artifacts
The Knights Who Say Nah is a unique NFT project and crafters group that is giving historical artifacts a new lease of life in the digital world. Founded in 2021, the group’s lofty goal is to restore historical artifacts and create 3D-rendered digital recreations. The idea behind the Knights Who Say Nah is to preserve history by harnessing the power of NFTs, particularly the technology behind the blockchain. The project is named after the characters from the classic movie, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
At the helm of the Knights Who Say Nah is Nick Richey, a renowned armorer who has worked in the preservation of artifacts, particularly medieval swords and armor. His work led him into the world of NFTs, and he decided to use his passion for preservation to create a project that would preserve the history of ancient artifacts through blockchain technology.
The group’s headquarters is located in a nondescript corner of downtown Los Angeles, where they have a loft-turned-restoration-center that houses everything from medieval swords and armor to a Triceratops skull. The armory is where the group restores the artifacts and prepares them for scanning and minting as Ethereum NFTs. After the scans, the artifacts are donated to museums, where they can be displayed for public viewing.
One of the most important artifacts that the Knights Who Say Nah are currently restoring is a Japanese samurai tanto (short sword) that was gifted to an American General after World War II. The tanto is of particular importance, as it was the first traditionally crafted blade made after the occupying forces had forbidden sword making in 1945. The project is minting the tanto as an Ethereum NFT, and the physical weapon will be donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Knights Who Say Nah is planning to become a full DAO, the Roundtable, where Lightning Knights NFT holders will vote on how to curate digital collections, repatriation efforts, and future projects. The ultimate goal is to onboard people into Web3 with a practical use case: preserving history.
The Knights Who Say Nah is not just an NFT collective but a group of people with a passion for preserving history. Their mission is to help take these ancient stories and carry them into the future, creating a bunch of torchbearers for those stories. By using the power of the blockchain, the Knights Who Say Nah hopes to preserve history for generations to come.
Titles:
– The Knights Who Say Nah: Restoring History Through NFTs
– Nick Richey and the Knights Who Say Nah: Preserving Artifacts For Generations To Come