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Post by john570 on Sept 15, 2013 14:15:30 GMT
So my collection is in need of a few bronze swords. I wouldn't mind adding an Egyptian khopesh, a Celtic style sword and a Greek style short sword. Knowing next to nothing about the current market on Bronze Age swords. I wanted to see if you guys know who are the best boronze age sword makers are out there these days. Thanks guys. Cheers John
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Post by william m on Sept 15, 2013 18:10:26 GMT
The best bronze sword maker is Neil Burridge. Here is his website bronze-age-swords.com/I have quite a few of his swords, so let me know if you have any particular questions. |
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Post by john570 on Sept 15, 2013 19:36:05 GMT
Thanks can we see some pics of the ones you have?
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Post by william m on Sept 15, 2013 21:30:07 GMT
Here is one.  |
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Post by john570 on Sept 15, 2013 22:45:18 GMT
Very nice. I wonder how much the orust sword would go for.
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Post by william m on Sept 16, 2013 7:41:47 GMT
Quite a bit I imagine. The more detail and longer the sword is the difficulty in casting multiplies massively, leading in failed castings that mean you have to start all over again.
Also the Orust sword was most likely an offering for the gods and was not a useable sword due to the extreme length.
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Post by john570 on Sept 16, 2013 21:59:29 GMT
It's hard picking which one to start my Bronze Age sword collection with.
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Post by feral on Sept 17, 2013 5:51:45 GMT
So hey, I'm making my first bronze sword and I'm planning on casting 7 copies for the first run, 1 for my senior art exhibition and 6 to sell. I'm planning to ask 400 dollars for them. I'm certainly not so experienced or renowned as Mr. Burridge but I'd like to think I'm an up-and-comer of sorts. This is a bronze sword (or dagger, depending on who you ask) found in Segerstad, Vastergotland Sweden that is somewhere between 15 and 18 inches long dating from about 1300 bce.  I'm working on a somewhat scaled-up replica/interpretation of it that is about 23 inches long. I'm still carving my wooden template from poplar, but will be in my moldmaking and casting phases hopefully by the end of the month. Maybe it will fall into the 'celtic' style you're looking for, maybe not. I'll be posting progress pictures as the work continues to progress.   Edit: This is going to be cast in one piece rather than riveted together. I'm not entirely certain how the original is constructed, but neither would surprise me. |
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Post by william m on Sept 17, 2013 8:24:01 GMT
Those swords look fantastic! I quite like these germanic styles, although I don't know if the hilt and blade are cast as separate pieces. Usually they are two pieces held together by rivets.
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Post by feral on Sept 17, 2013 11:40:38 GMT
I'm casting them as one solid piece for strength and also for expediency. I've also read that many of the later examples were cast in one piece but with false carved rivets for looks. I figure any example with a full bronze hilt is a good candidate. ^_^
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Post by william m on Sept 17, 2013 12:51:14 GMT
It may be worth contacting a museum to arrange a private viewing.
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Post by john570 on Sept 17, 2013 18:56:01 GMT
Do you think that is possible about getting a private viewing? Feral I like those designs a lot. I can't wait to see how they turn out.
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Post by william m on Sept 17, 2013 22:02:09 GMT
Well it certainly is in the UK. All we have to do is contact a public museum and possibly pay something like 5 pounds for every hour we take up staff time.
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Post by john570 on Sept 17, 2013 23:17:19 GMT
Sweet and that works at any museum and you can handle the sword? Also have you ever seen the bronze sword kris cutlery did back in the day?
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Post by feral on Sept 18, 2013 2:46:34 GMT
I live in the southern appalachians. I don't know that I've got the option to get a private viewing of a museum's collection.... Or if there even IS a museum within 100 miles with any bronze swords. Anyway, a little more progress:  |
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Lunaman
Senior Forumite
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Post by Lunaman on Sept 18, 2013 3:56:59 GMT
I feel like we're watching the new Jake Powning in the making. Wonderful stuff, feral.
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Post by feral on Sept 18, 2013 4:06:55 GMT
Well, you just made me blush! I'm a huge admirer of his work.
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Lunaman
Senior Forumite
Posts: 3,974
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Post by Lunaman on Sept 18, 2013 4:19:25 GMT
We all are, for good reason, and you're following his example and path.
Hopefully someday you, like he did, could get a grant to allow you to travel to examine and document the historical pieces in person. Jake, for example, has been funded to do multiple visits to the British Museum to get out of 'murica and see the pieces first hand. Each time he has come back with new inspiration or projects stemming directly from those observations.
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Post by william m on Sept 18, 2013 7:48:20 GMT
No idea I haven't visited every museum as some of the larger ones may have different policies. I don't know where kris copied their sword design from, but I from I can remember of their bronze sword it was historically inaccurate due to the length and general size of the fittings.
Luckily for me, most small local museums have bronze artifacts of some sort. Whole swords are fairly rare but axes are plenty common as are parts of swords, which is useful in its own right as you can look at the cross section.
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Post by chrisperoni on Sept 19, 2013 0:48:28 GMT
very interested in this endeavour of yours Feral. What bronze type are you expecting to cast in? I know Neil Burridge writes about silicone bronze vs. the alloy mix he prefers - what are your thoughts and plans?
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