Emperor Thanh Thai's sword sold in US auction for $50,000

Measuring 81 cm in length, "the sword represents a prosperous nation, peace and happiness and is decorated with inset gemstones, incised details and a lotus form handle," the auction house said.

It has calligraphy carvings in Chinese saying ‘10th Emperor of Nguyen Dynasty,’ ‘Maintenance of Justice and Order’ and ‘Mandate of Heaven: Emperor Thanh Thai.’

The sword was a family heirloom passed down for many generations over 1,000 years, and survived "several wars, multiple dynasties," GWS said.

The sword said to belong to Emperor Thanh Thai (1879 – 1954) of the Nguyen Dynasty. Photo courtesy of GWS Auctions House.

Though its value was estimated at $350,000 - 400,000, it only fetched a fraction of that.

Thanh Thai (1879 - 1954), born Nguyen Phuc Buu Lan, was the seventh son of Emperor Duc Duc.

He ascended to the throne at the age of 10 as the 10th monarch of the Nguyen Dynasty.

After an 18-year reign, he was forced to abdicate by the French colonialists due to his patriotic inclinations and involvement in anti-colonial movements.

He and his son, Emperor Duy Tan, were driven into exile in La Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean, in 1916.

Thanh Thai returned to Vietnam after 1945 and died in Saigon in 1954.