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Christopher Sullivan




Location: Canada
Joined: 31 Mar 2007

Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 10:37 am    Post subject: Any of you learned men?         Reply with quote

I've recently decided that as a longtime fan of roman history it would be nice if I could own something with even the slightest authenticity. At the top of my list would be the Gladius. I know that this sounds a tall order and one that might be damn nbear inmpossible to fill. I'd like to try. So if anyone knows the location of such an item, or more realistically if anyone knows how I could could have my own working gladius made please feel free tro point me in the right direction.
Remember I don't want a list of replica designers only real will do.

Christopher Lee Sullivan
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Grayson C.




Location: NCF, Sarasota, FL
Joined: 25 Oct 2006

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 223

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 11:15 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hey Christopher!

I found this blade on ebay...interested?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Roman-legionary-gladius-s...dZViewItem
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Geoff Wood




Location: UK
Joined: 31 Aug 2003

Posts: 634

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 12:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Any of you learned men?         Reply with quote

Christopher Sullivan wrote:
I've recently decided that as a longtime fan of roman history it would be nice if I could own something with even the slightest authenticity. At the top of my list would be the Gladius. I know that this sounds a tall order and one that might be damn nbear inmpossible to fill. I'd like to try. So if anyone knows the location of such an item, or more realistically if anyone knows how I could could have my own working gladius made please feel free tro point me in the right direction.
Remember I don't want a list of replica designers only real will do.


Hi Mr Sullivan
I'm sure you know what you mean, but you might want to help out by defining your needs a bit more clearly. What are you meaning by 'real'. If you mean an original from roman times, it wouldn't be 'working' without, at the very least, some work on the either the hilt or blade (depending on whether its conditions for surviving from then until now were better for preserving metal or organic components). That work would, to some extent, make it a 'replica' since it wouldn't be wholly original. If, as in your fall-back option, you want one made, maybe someone like Patrick Barta http://www.templ.net/english/weapons-antiquit...le_age.php
would be a good choice (if you are prepared to wait) as he uses fairly 'authentic' methods and bases his work on museum pieces.
Regards
Geoff
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Jared Smith




Location: Tennessee
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
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Spotlight topics: 3
Posts: 1,532

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 12:25 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Roman spear and arrow heads are easily obtained just about any time. Your best bet for a sword is going to be contacting and monitoring antiquities dealers steadily. In the past, sword fragments have been offered by some of these dealers (not sure which ones since I never wanted to pay the kind of $1000 + price such an item could easily command.)

Example dealers….

http://www.museumsurplus.com/RomanAntiquitiesPAGE1.htm
Currently has some actual Roman and Celtic arrowheads from the era of Gaulish Roman empire.

http://www.ancienttouch.com/roman%20arms.htm
Currently has some spear heads, shield boss, and I believe has had fragmented swords in the past which tempted me.

http://www.greekandromancoins.com/artifacts-c...39acf26bcf

Currently has a Greek spearhead and some arrowheads (next page.)

http://www.artemission.com/ViewItems.asp?Sear...ntiquities

Currently has several Persian swords, but might offer a Roman specimen if you monitor them or pre-arrange contact should they acquire one.

Absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence!
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Al Muckart




Location: NZ
Joined: 27 Dec 2005

Posts: 309

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 2:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Any of you learned men?         Reply with quote

Christopher Sullivan wrote:
I've recently decided that as a longtime fan of roman history it would be nice if I could own something with even the slightest authenticity. At the top of my list would be the Gladius. I know that this sounds a tall order and one that might be damn nbear inmpossible to fill. I'd like to try. So if anyone knows the location of such an item, or more realistically if anyone knows how I could could have my own working gladius made please feel free tro point me in the right direction.
Remember I don't want a list of replica designers only real will do.


If you want a recreated gladius rather than an original (or as well as Happy ) have a look at
Albions Roman swords and have a look at their line of gladii (??).

I haven't handled one of these personally but I do own an Albion medieval sword and the quality of it is fantastic.

--
Al.
http://wherearetheelves.net
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Addison C. de Lisle




Location: South Carolina
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Likes: 27 pages

Posts: 614

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 2:34 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I would like to add that the Albion gladii are really awesome, and feel wicked in the hand. Too bad that there is stuff higher on my priority list Sad
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Al Muckart




Location: NZ
Joined: 27 Dec 2005

Posts: 309

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 2:36 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Grayson C. wrote:
Hey Christopher!

I found this blade on ebay...interested?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Roman-legionary-gladius-s...dZViewItem


It might just be me but there is something about that blade that just screams fake! at me.

Maybe it's just that I have an inherent distrust of the sale of antiquities on ebay. I'm not an expert on gladius blade forms but it looks in too good a condition, and too, well, "chunky" to me. There is also no real provenance given.

--
Al.
http://wherearetheelves.net
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Jonathan Hopkins




PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 3:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I read this as a question about where one could buy an original gladius. For safety, I would recommend only buying from a reputable dealer. I am not sure who that would be since I am unfamiliar with the antiquities trade, but I would caution you against buying an "original" from a venue like eBay. You should also expect to pay a premium price for such an item, should one be availabe anywhere. I am not sure what you mean by functional, unless you are referring to a reproduction. Any original gladii on the market will likely not be in "functional" condition. If you can clarify your needs we can better assist you.

Jonathan
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Gabriel Lebec
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myArmoury Team

Location: NY, NY
Joined: 02 Oct 2003
Reading list: 32 books

Posts: 420

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 5:18 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Legally there are issues with commenting on active eBay auctions.

Therefore the following is not a comment:
Mad Evil Worried WTF?! Confused Sad Eek! Blush Exclamation Surprised Cry

And I agree, you'll need to clarify what you are looking for. Authentic can either mean an antique - in which case, yes, your options are limited and expensive - or authentically made, in which case your options are a little more flexible.
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Matthew Amt




Location: Laurel, MD, USA
Joined: 17 Sep 2003

Posts: 1,456

PostPosted: Sat 31 Mar, 2007 6:35 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Agreed, if you want an original Roman sword, you REALLY want to spend a few months studying the antiquities market. Ebay is filled with fakes, and you need to know how to recognize the bad dealers and their bad products. Many real artifacts could easily be looted or illegally exported, with all the hugely controversial implications therein. Legal and documentable original gladius blades are extremely rare, and very expensive. If you do manage to get one, it is likely to be mostly rust with an attitude, so it will not in any way be "functional".

If all of this convinces you that a reproduction is the way to go, or if that's what you meant in the first place, perhaps the Gladius page of my humble Legio XX site will help?

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/gladius.html

Good luck and Vale,

Matthew
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D. Bell




Location: New Zealand
Joined: 01 May 2004

Posts: 73

PostPosted: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 5:21 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

If what you are looking for is an accurate and high quality reproduction, then as Al Muckart said, Albion is the first place to look. You might also want to have a look at this Pompeii gladius for a less common (but still, I understand, historically accurate) version.
An armed society is a polite society.
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