When Davis-Panzer - the Producers of Highlander - needed to come up with the sword Ramirez used in the first Highlander film, they chose a katana with an "ivory" Samurai-pictoral handle, made by Marto, Spain. However, the sword needed more distinctiveness, since the camera could not pick up on the detail. So the propsman added the dragon head that made this sword one of Hollywood's most memorable.

Since then, the original swords were auctioned off. Some have returned to the public, being on display at some Planet Hollywood, very possibly at one in Phoenix, Arizona.

But what of a version of the sword for the mass-market public? The Noble Collection (1-800-8NOBLE8) approached Davis-Panzer and secured the rights for this sword on the left. The prototype was reportedly extremely close to the one in the movie, being almost identical. Working with Martespa (a subsidiary of Marto, Spain), The Noble Collection further developed the sword to the photo you see here on the left.

This resultant sword no longer mirrors the movie prop so perfectly. Immediately noticable are the scales of the dragon. When I first reviewed the sword, I had described the dragon head as resembling a stepped-on lizard. Some fans didn't like the nose. I personally didn't like the eyes nor the arrow-pattern for dragon scales. However, I more recently had a chance to hold it first hand. And I have to say that as an entire handle, with its detail and such, it was a marvel to behold. Perhaps the particular sword I handled had less paint detailing and still looked a lot like ivory, but now I have to admit I do like this sword a lot.

It's Samurai pictoral scenes are identical to those on the Sword of the Dragon - however, the sides are reversed.

Its sister, the Sword of the Dragon, has a full rat-tail tang that ends at the end of the 10 inch handle, and on the end of the handle is a 3 inch head (total 13 inches). The Sword of Connor felt slightly lighter, and the balance was reasonably good, such that the sword felt like a partial tang. I had some reservation swinging it around too much - not that it would fly apart - but that the sword was made for looks rather than wielding. If indeed a full tang, the sword should be sturdy enough for swings like that. But be careful not to injure anyone!

This sword comes with a black scabbard with a gold fixture on the end, probably to balance the gold tsuba. Some fans have complained that Ramirez' scabbard was red, but realize that when Connor's castle collapsed in Ramirez' fight with the Kurgan, the scabbard was lost. When Connor buried his beloved Heather, he only had his mentor's sword through his belt - no scabbard. Many years later, in 1985, before he goes off to fight the Kurgan, he sheaths his sword in a black sheath. Rachael says, "You're not coming back... are you? Even if you win!" The movie's black scabbard did not have gold furnishings though.

You will also notice that in a photograph of a scene that never made it to the big screen was Connor in bed with a woman (was it Brenda Wyatt?) and she is examining his katana and draws it from a black sheath.

The balance and feel are actually better than the Sword of the Dragon. I find the sword slightly lighter. This resulted in the sword being easier to maneuver. Like the Sword of the Dragon, this sword theoretically features a thin rat-tail tang. If the blade is the same length as that used in the Sword of the Dragon, that would mean that the dragon head is solid plastic, and the tang ends where its neck and head begins.

From an aesthetics standpoint, the hue of the ivory somewhat conflicts with the yellow-gold finish of the tsuba (or guard), which in turn conflicts with the orange-hue copper habaki which features Martespa's logo. And the gold of the prominent guard was of a different hue than the gold fixtues on the scabbard. It's guard is well done, and is closer to the Highlander 3 movie prop's guard than the Highlander 1 prop.

In conclusion, this sword may disappoint collectors who desire a completely perfect match to the Highlander 1 movie prop. Again, being a prop, it was not as well designed as the sword used in Highlander 2 and 3, which were carved by Jose de Braga. It suffers slightly from an aesthetics point of view. However, it's feel is very reasonable, and it's a fun sword to have nonetheless.