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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 23:14:13 GMT
I've noticed at Gunderson's and other sites that sell antique swords that they often have miniature sabers for sale that look rather old. Were these miniatures made in the same time frame as their full-size counterparts (1860-early 1900s [this is the time frame I've seen most often]) or are they a later phenomenon? Are they made like full-sized ones? What purpose did they serve? Novelties, gifts, etc.?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2008 3:27:12 GMT
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Post by hotspur on Aug 9, 2008 3:45:36 GMT
Although I have seen some list them as salemen's samples, they were probably just sold as letter openers. Then as now. www.militarysabers.com/letter-openers/index.htmlSomething intresting I did see was cases of hilt samples for German swords. I'm forgetting if it was Eickhorn, or someone else. It was over at the Snyders Treasures site. They had quite a bit of material from whichever company it was. I'm shamed that I don't recall exactly but did save the images. Just another incidental image harvest that I'll likely never have a purpose for, or remember exactly without looking again. Doh!    IIRC, they were actually even priced attractively. oh well, off topic again Way to go Glen. Btw, everything at Gunderson's is MINE I tell you (jk) How come nobody has grabbed the bargain cutlass yet? Cheers Hotspur; I actually need to email him about something |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2008 5:27:18 GMT
Thank you, sirs.  I've always had an interest in miniature things, but I only became really aware of miniature swords after stumbling across Hanwei's line of minis (with tempered blades, no less  ). Then I started noticing them at the antique sites. One person in that SFI thread even suggested they may have been made as childrens' toys at one time. Damn! Those Victorian kids had some sweet toys! ;D The letter opener idea seems valid for some, but not all. I came across one recently (and, of course, I can't remember where  ) that measures something like 22" overall. That's a mighty big letter opener.  |
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Post by hotspur on Aug 9, 2008 18:32:00 GMT
Well, somehow I don't quite classify the kinder swords as miniatures. The 1902 at Guderson's I would definitely put in the novelty or letter opener class.
I'm not sure of the reference, or if it was even mentioned in George's thread (but I have a feeling it was on a militaria site like Johnson's) that what folk refer to the kinder swords, often are not. A full size hilt with a short blade often having an academy or other association. I have also seen full size hilts with just stumps of blades and those are likely display of sales sample. they turn up made into candlesticks as well. I was attracted by the price of a stirrup hilted Turkish sword just yesterday until I saw the mention of a sixteen inch blade. It was a full size hilt. Listed as a police sword.
There is a scaled down 1850 staff & field sword over at the J&J site and is one of few American smallsters I've seen like that. The 1902 miniatures are typical of what I see cropping up at places like Gunderson's . The kinder swords show up on the German militaria sites all the time but as I mentioned, keep the hilt to blade proportion in mind. I've also seen smallswords in child size (proportional).
Cheers
Hotspur; the candlesticks do turn up with some regularity
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2008 23:53:37 GMT
Yeah, I think I've mistakenly lumped the children's swords and true minis into one category. I did some more searching at SFI and came across a couple of George's other posts on minis. You're right. There are proportional minis, ("true" minis, I guess), proportional children's swords, and 'tweeners (for lack of a better term) that exhibit varying sizes and proportions of blades and hilts, all being smaller than full-sized swords. A bit of an obscure area of interest, but quite fascinating.
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I've always had an interest in miniature things, but I only became really aware of miniature swords after stumbling across Hanwei's line of minis (with tempered blades, no less 
). Then I started noticing them at the antique sites. One person in that SFI thread even suggested they may have been made as childrens' toys at one time. Damn! Those Victorian kids had some sweet toys! ;D The letter opener idea seems valid for some, but not all. I came across one recently (and, of course, I can't remember where 
) that measures something like 22" overall. That's a mighty big letter opener. 
