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Post by cptclap on Mar 12, 2023 17:01:27 GMT
I know exactly where the comments for this are going, but hear me out.
I am going to be receiving my first ever sword by the end of Summer this year. My intention was to put this on a plaque in a soon-to-be-established home office. I have definite delusions of grandeur and am planning to go all out with this space, but it is very small (10x10 room).
I am a pocket knife enthusiast, and that enthusiasm is beginning to extend to swords. My pocket knife collection is a curated collection showcasing different types of steel, blade styles, different manufacturers, countries of origin, etc. I am able to showcase just about every aspect of the pocket knife industry in a collection of 44 pieces.
I was wondering if any had attempted a similar undertaking with swords - almost a museum sort of collection showcasing pieces from different cultures and/or eras. Obviously to cover each and every bit would be an enormous amount of space. I would like to limit my hypothetical collection to one or two wall-mounted racks for the sake of space. In this case, an abbreviated sort of collection is what I'm after.
Topics of interest include: - 1x from a set number of cultures - exploring technological advancements from bronze age to present-ish - showcasing variations from one particular place (probably Germany) - a sort of east x west thing
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Mar 12, 2023 17:36:54 GMT
Yes, different cultures, era, types, and some fantasy and tacticool stuff. Welcome to the forum, you have now entered the Twilight Zone, deedeedeeda, deedeedeeda....
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Post by blackprince on Mar 12, 2023 17:48:54 GMT
That is how I started out collecting, trying to get a functional European sword replica from the dark ages to the renaissance era… I’ve found out I like swinging long swords and Katanas more than anything else. Who knew? So my sword collection is slowly transitioning to just a bunch of katanas and long swords.
My European Swords through the ages (in non-technical terms): a Viking sword a Norman sword a crusader sword a long sword a renaissance side sword a rapier a basket hilt sword
These are really generic terms, but I was satisfied it represented how swords changed over the centuries, and hope it gives you a starting point.
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Post by eastman on Mar 12, 2023 18:18:01 GMT
If you decide on a German theme, you'll probably want some Landknecht swords (katzbalger and zweihander)
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 12, 2023 18:20:47 GMT
Welcome to the forum. I hadn’t thought of my collection in that manner, but looking back I originally wanted something representing different types of swords from different cultures giving somewhat of an overall knowledge but not necessarily specializing. The subject is so vast I do not see any one subject as being completable, only a general insight which was my original intent. I have: Chinese Japanese Filipino Europe Medieval Rapier military US military Nepalese Not to mention a few that I can’t place but intrigued me such as sword canes.
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Post by cptclap on Mar 13, 2023 0:54:10 GMT
It’s nice to know that I am not alone in essentially wanting to create a miniature museum exhibit. I know that this is not really possible to complete, but I think it’s possible to focus on one particular theme and do it well. This concept is inspired by a museum exhibit I saw in Stuttgart that I wish I could remember but was done really well IIRC.
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Post by eastman on Mar 13, 2023 4:54:35 GMT
I settled on the theme "Swords I Like". It was easier that way.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Mar 13, 2023 4:57:17 GMT
I like them all!
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Post by pellius on Mar 13, 2023 17:42:49 GMT
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Post by perignum on Mar 13, 2023 18:01:25 GMT
I went for a representative sword from each century from the 9th to the 20th. Basically, a thousand years of budget swords. I’ve been replacing some of the lower end stuff with better quality swords on a gradual basis.
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 13, 2023 18:02:32 GMT
Prepare for your walls to look something like this: My first thought on seeing this thread was Mr Kelly's collection. Anybody new to swords who thinks they "only want" representation of each culture and/or timeframe of sword has NO idea how many swords that is. Most tend to settle on either a culture or a time frame.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 13, 2023 18:09:48 GMT
That reminded me of Kelly’s collection, and then I read. Consider the maintenance required for such a collection.
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Post by skelley on Mar 13, 2023 21:18:40 GMT
Prepare for your walls to look something like this: My first thought on seeing this thread was Mr Kelly's collection. Anybody new to swords who thinks they "only want" representation of each culture and/or timeframe of sword has NO idea how many swords that is. Most tend to settle on either a culture or a time frame. Yep, that was my general thought process when I was first getting into the hobby. Now I just go "oh, that looks interesting!"
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Post by cptclap on Mar 14, 2023 14:32:38 GMT
Prepare for your walls to look something like this: My first thought on seeing this thread was Mr Kelly's collection. Anybody new to swords who thinks they "only want" representation of each culture and/or timeframe of sword has NO idea how many swords that is. Most tend to settle on either a culture or a time frame. I know this would be dozens of swords, if not hundreds. I’m planning to narrow it down significantly, I just haven’t decided yet. I physically don’t have space in the aforementioned space for that many swords anyways, so I really do have to stick to 1-2 wall mounted racks. Probably twelve swords or so?
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Post by pellius on Mar 14, 2023 15:51:07 GMT
That would be a very nice collection.
A number of enthusiasts start with more budget friendly swords of good repute. Once they are more knowledgeable and discerning, they move on to higher quality more expensive examples.
If space gets tight, you can always sell your earlier pieces to make room (and help fund) your later ones.
Or just jump right in and buy whatever appeals to you.
Whatever you choose, just enjoy the ride. It already sounds like you will!
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 14, 2023 17:20:28 GMT
I think what's most important is to prioritize. Are you aiming to practice a relevant martial art? If so, start there. Otherwise, what culture/nationality (of the modern world, things get complicated even a few decades ago) would you say interests you most? You mention, in your first post, "a set number of cultures," and then go on to mention Germany later. I'm not super familiar with German swords, save the broad strokes of messers, zweihanders, katzbalgers, etc. 9th to 20th century covers a lot of swords, either way. Replicas might be a bit iffy on the later period stuff; you might have better luck with antiques post-19th century. Just to be excessively pedantic, how would you define "East vs West"? China and Japan vs (broadly) Europe? Any interest in Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the archipelago, or the Arab world? What about Eastern vs Western Europe? Just buy swords and stack 'em up in a pile. It'll be worth it, I swear.
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Post by treeslicer on Mar 14, 2023 19:21:18 GMT
My first thought on seeing this thread was Mr Kelly's collection. Anybody new to swords who thinks they "only want" representation of each culture and/or timeframe of sword has NO idea how many swords that is. Most tend to settle on either a culture or a time frame. I know this would be dozens of swords, if not hundreds. I’m planning to narrow it down significantly, I just haven’t decided yet. I physically don’t have space in the aforementioned space for that many swords anyways, so I really do have to stick to 1-2 wall mounted racks. Probably twelve swords or so? My own approach is different from most here. As those who've read some of my postings here will know, I'm a user, not a collector. Not only do I live on an acreage in one of the wilder and more thickly forested areas of the US1, but I'm a student of JSA2 and saber fencing, as well as active in SCA for several decades, who's also an experienced blacksmith. My purpose in buying swords and other cutlery is to have proper tools and examples to aid my various endeavors, not as an end in itself, and certainly not to decorate my home with burglar bait.
What I buy occasionally are nihonto, functional Japanese-style reproductions, 19th. Century military sabers, Philippine bolos, Indonesian kerises, and antique Nepalese kukris. I also have a (real) Samburu cattle-guard spear, refitted with a shaft of local ash, that comes in handy sometimes. My once job-required selection of military tactical knives was finished decades ago, and isn't being added to.
To keep one's acquisitions within the bounds of fiscal sanity and the storage available, rules are required. Everything here is IMHO, so I'm not trying to pontificate for anyone else:
1. Buy only usable originals or accurate reproductions.3
2. Get the best I can afford, that will serve the purpose, but don't be an ass about it. Used refurbishable is fine.
3. Leave the perfect, papered, or fancy examples to museums and art collectors, just get what I can cut with or work on.
4. Focus solely on my areas of interest.
5. Set a hard limit on auctions, and bail out when it's exceeded.
6. One good example of anything is enough.
Footnotes
1. In the north Florida wilderness, serviceable tools to keep the jungle and its occupants in check are as necessary as they are in SE Asia or Latin America. The green semprini just grows so darned fast, and it's full of things that show up unexpectedly, wanting to eat or fight your pets and livestock. For chopping back undergrowth and vines that mowers and power tools are ineffective or inefficient at, DH blades like bolos and such are great, because this stuff will break machetes eventually.
2. For me, "Japanese Sword Arts" goes well beyond kenjutsu, as I also craft or assemble my own koshirae, and polish at a mediocre but acceptable level. "Ethnographic" smithing techniques is another of my favorite studies, which explains the kerises.
3 You'll notice that this keeps me safe from shopping ancient and medieval pieces to start with. I have one good "Damascus" viking sword and one swept-hilt broadsword that I built on Indian blades,to wear with appropriate garb at SCA events, but that's it. Most medieval repros are made wrongly, and handle horribly. The rest cost too much to contemplate.
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rschuch
Member
Sharp blades are good to have, if Shire-folk go walking, east, south, far away into dark and danger.
Posts: 806
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Post by rschuch on Mar 14, 2023 21:06:29 GMT
Yeah, pretty much sums up my collection. A smattering of everything. Variety is the spice of life. No point getting one exactly like something else you already have unless that's you're "think" and want to have every migration era or longsword ever made, which is also a thing. There are no rules, just limits of expendable cash.
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rschuch
Member
Sharp blades are good to have, if Shire-folk go walking, east, south, far away into dark and danger.
Posts: 806
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Post by rschuch on Mar 28, 2023 17:29:18 GMT
do you have a photo to it ? I do, or most of it. imgur.com/gallery/AUSerZ6Here's the list: Two antique Horstmann & Sons/ /Ames m1840-1860 musician swords Hanwei Tinker Pearce longsword Hanwei Sword of Saint Maurice Hanwei Scott Rodell Cutting Jian Darksword Armory Sage Darksword Armory Crusader dagger Darksword Armory Excalibur Kingdom of Arms Strider/Ranger Kingdom of Arms Irish Kern Ring Pommel Devil's Edge Celtic Devil's Edge Xiphos dagger Windlass CSA Civil War Confederate Calvary Officer saber Windlass Roman Pugio Windlass Arbedo Windlass Christus Imperat Windlass Crusader Axe Windlass Peloponnesian bronze dagger Windlass Military Windlass Battlecry Agincourt Windlass Battlecry Maldon Viking Windlass Falcata Windlass Suontaka Cold Steel small sword Cold Steel Scottish dirk Cold Steel Cinquedea Cold Steel Polish saber Deepeeka 14th C Italian Warhammer Deepeeka Aislinn Deepeeka Phillipe IV Ronin Katana Dojo Pro #5 Kingston Arms ATrim XIV arming Legacy Arms Maintz gladius Celtic Hallstatt Ryujin T10 Shobu Zukuri katana Tod Cutler daggers - (2)(14th C quillon and 17th C stiletto) Purna Darnal GGK custom - Awl of the Father Purna Darnal GGK custom - Kukhri sword Kawashima / Rite Edge Scandinavian Greatsword Two flea market talwars
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Post by swordofdamokles on Apr 21, 2023 22:16:05 GMT
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