A fellow forumite (Jeremy Krause) and I managed to get to the Higgins Museum yesterday, despite the heavy snow, the cold, and the fact that I should have been at work. The museum was closed for regular visitors but since we had an appointment with the curator to view few pieces they let us in.

We got to handle three swords (hopefully there will be an article about that soon), we got to look round in the store room, and we got to walk in the museum alone. They opened up the museum just for us and let us walk and take pictures freely, with no others around........Boy, did I feel special.........

Here are few teasers.

Alexi

** Photographs taken by Alexi Goranov and reproduced by permission of The Higgins Armory Museum

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The swords we got to handle

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Jeremy in the Strore Room with HAM 3846

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Me with HAM #.75

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A type XIV sword dated 1270-1350
Used to be made by MRL

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Persian leg defence (16c)

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A beautiful 15c pole axe

Yes, I really enjoyed the visit and found it so enlightening!

To be able to handle these swords and to be able to touch and closely examine many of the weapons in the storeroom was just great. We were left alone in the storeroom so that we could really take our time. The greatest variety of axes, spears, lances, and pole arms could be seen.

Jeremy

Thats awsome, i hope you guys had fun, can't imagine you not having fun though. So how does one do that? get an appointment to get in i mean. There was a sword at a museum in town i wanted to get an appointment to see, but i was unsure how to dgo about it.
i can't wait to see what you write up about the adventure

Nice photos guys and I am sure it was nice to document and handle the swords. I do have a question as the sword pictured in photos 1 and 2 with the wide blade and large tang. Is this a bare historical blade or a reconstruction of a blade? That tang is HUGE! :eek: Do you have any info on that one?

Joel

:eek:

Oh, that HAM 3846!
Three questions, if you don't mind spilling a few more beans on that one:

• Date?
• Culture?
• Leather-wrapped grip?

Looks like the wire wrap is just plain, straight wire. No twists or multiple strands, but possibly with turk's heads top and bottom. Is that correct?

The #75 grip is interesting, too. I've been wondering how late we'd see leather over cord and wood a-la Albion grips, and that sword looks to be 16th century as well.

Ah...now I see a bit of a twist in that wire. And a leather cover for the ricasso! Very interesting....Gives me ideas.

That #75 is an odd-looking duck.

Alexi;

I have to agree with Sean that HAM 3846 is a REALLY nifty weapon! An excellent example of a Renaissance War Sword, encorporating some of the aspects of the Rapier but keeping a BIG blade to go with it! And plenty of room for a gauntleted hand to get around that grip without banging into hilt parts! I would love to see more details on that one, such as length, weight, etc. VERY nifty sword.

When is Albion gonna make one of THOSE babies, anyway??? I'll get in line now... :D

Gordon

I love these! Here's a similar example from Graz. Sorry for the scan quality.

Stats:
1580-1620
Made in Passau, Germany
Iron, wood, leather
130.5 x 34.2 x 19.2

Betcha the HAM example once had a blackened hilt, too.

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Sean;

That one will do just fine too! Albion, oh Albion, where for art thou, Albion? Ditto, Gus Trim... I want one of these big 16th Century War Swords! Some of us fellows who are into the Renaissance aren't particularly infatuated with the skinny little rapier blades, and want real ones... please?

Gordon

MRL German Rapier hilt + Angus Trim c&t blade=German horseman's sword ca. 30 years war. You could pick up a ball pommel from Alchem for under $10 to balance the heavier blade.

Sean, you take ALL the fun out of complaining about this sort of thing! Drat!

Actually, those are great suggestions, thanks!

Gordon

Hello everyone,
Yes, the 3946 is a monster of a sword- a real chopping blade. Lots of blade presence but Alexi will provide the specifics.

As the rennaisance is not my primary interest at this time I was really suprised with the character and handling of this weapon. I was not aware of such large blades (kind of a XIIIb) mounted on complex hilted swords, very enlightening.

Some nice brass inlay in the blade as well- I'm a sucker for inlay. :)
Jeremy

Gordon;

Do you see a family resemblance between that stout complex grip one hander with the German hand and a half that Albion has as a future next generation sword. Almost as if this sword is like a snub nose version of a hand and a half.

Just speculation but could this be a shortened hand and a half that was rehilted at some point ?

Anyway, it does make me look forward to seing how the Albion sword turns out, and it should be at the early limit of the period that interest you most. ( Maybe larger than what you would be looking for ! )

Jean;

Actually I had been thinking of that, of taking a hand-and-a-half and re-hilting it to fit later tastes. One of the problems that a lot of the present "War Swords" have is that they are pretty much all designed for use on foot ( which makes sense, since 95%-plus of the buying public is going to only use them on foot) so thus they are usually somewhat short for my wants, and the longer rapiers, while long enough to be serviceable on horseback, are too thin and light for the most part. Therefore something on the order of the hand-and-a-half would be of a decent length and breadth... but probably a tad hefty!

The problem is of course in length... when you are afoot, you really don't want the point going past your ankle, whereas when using a sword while mounted, you do want to be able to reach the ground without having to hang off the saddle like a Comanche, riding on the side of your horse. Thus a blade of at least 36" is mandatory, with the more the better, within reason. Plus, it needs to have a certain stiffness to it, i.e. "a good stiff tuck" as many an English cavalryman admonished his followers to carry.

I've actually been looking hard at the A&A Dresden Rapiers like Nathan's but I would really like to see a full review of it first (hint, hint!)


http://www.myArmoury.com/swor_aa_dres.html?1


But it seems to meet a lot of my requirements, as it is decently long (37" blade below the rings) and breadth, but of course it pays for that in weight (3.7 pounds). Not a real problem of course, but something to ponder.

Anyway, lots to dream on! But for the mean time, I'll just have to be content with my ATrim Baskethilt! If only it were a few inches longer...

Cheers!

Gordon