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Paul Mortimer
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 Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 10:41 am Post subject: Snartemo |
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http://www.oldfunn.no/
This link will take you to a company in Norway that can make you an authentic replica of the Snartemo sword. They use real gold and silver and it looks magnificent. I have been unable to get details of the blade other than it is made of carbon steel.
The Snartemo is the earliest Germanic ring sword so far found and unlike all the others, where the rings are on the pommel, these are below the lower guard.
Those interested may wish to know that there will be an e-mail contact address on the site, soon.
The price? Around 18,000 USD!
Form an orderly queue, please.
Paul
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Joe Yurgil
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 11:10 am Post subject: |
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hmm This is pretty interesting. I wonder, why change in the position of the ring at all at all? And furthermore, how do they justify such an enormous sum for the replica? Maybe there is something in the Norse I'm missing?  not to be petty, im just curious. Sword buyers are a rather small market force so they the company either dont want to sell any or have actually found people who will.
Sjá, þar sé ek föður minn.
Sjá, þar sé ek móður mina ok systur mina ok bróður minn.
Sjá, þar sé ek allan minn frændgarð.
Sjá, kalla þeim tíl min.
Biðja mér at taka minn stað hjá þeim í sölum Valhallar, þar drengiligr menn munu lifa allan aldr.
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Elling Polden
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Joe Yurgil wrote: | | hmm This is pretty interesting. I wonder, why change in the position of the ring at all at all? And furthermore, how do they justify such an enormous sum for the replica? Maybe there is something in the Norse I'm missing? not to be petty, im just curious. Sword buyers are a rather small market force so they the company either dont want to sell any or have actually found people who will. |
Probably because they are not part of the international sword replica market™, and thus do not know what the going rate for a replica sword is. If you are going to price the weapon like it was a piece of jewlery, it is naturaly going to be pretty darned expensive.
And norway is a expensive contry to begin with.
Anyhow, it is beaten by this beauty (from Bjørn's Awfull Sword section....) A bargain, at a mere 20 000 $....
The rest of the Awfull Swords can be found here. Alas, in swedish. Starts at the fifth link down...
http://bjorn.foxtail.nu/navi11.htm
"this [fight] looks curious, almost like a game. See, they are looking around them before they fall, to find a dry spot to fall on, or they are falling on their shields. Can you see blood on their cloths and weapons? No. This must be trickery."
-Reidar Sendeman, from King Sverre's Saga, 1201
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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Elling, I don't like the entire notion of bashing swords or people who decide to collect them. The difference between critique and bashing is all about one's approach. While these items may very well be outside the interest of myself, or even the general preferences of those in this community, the notion of enjoying and collecting them is perfectly valid. To each their own.
Let's get back on topic. Thanks for understanding.
.:. Visit my Collection Gallery :: View my Reading List :: View my Wish List :: See Pages I Like :: Find me on Facebook .:.
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Johan S. Moen
Location: Kristiansand, Norway Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 259
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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I live near where the sword was found. A friend of mine has some measurements of it, and when he gets more accurate ones(he lives here too), he is going to comission a replica of it from Russel Thomas. Sometime...in the future.
Johan Schubert Moen
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David Wilson
Location: In a van down by the river Joined: 23 Aug 2003
Posts: 802
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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I'd really like to have a functional Snartemo.... just not $18,000 badly....
... maybe I can trade in my old Marto #520? 
David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe
Now available on Amazon: Franklin Posner's "Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7Y591
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for posting this Paul. This seems to be a beautiful recreation of a very significant find. There's a lot of high quality recreations from this era coming out of central and northern europe.
Neat!
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Paul Mortimer
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| Posted: Tue 28 Jun, 2005 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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I get the impression that they have made one or two for mueums and that, prehaps, is the market that they are aiming for. Museums do pay very large sums for one off reproductions. The Sutton Hoo Visitors' Centre (highly worth a visit when anyone is in England) paid about $15,000 for their helmet.
As for the change in position of the ring -- no-one knows. The earliest speculations about the rings is that they were for a strap to attach the hilt to the hand. However, none of the free rings are robust enough for this and later they rings become solid and fixed. All sword rings, known, have decoration on them. Current thinking is that the lord, as ring giver, gave these swords to his most high ranking followers and that the rings were the sign of a bond between lord and retainer.
Paul
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Joe Yurgil
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| Posted: Wed 29 Jun, 2005 6:37 am Post subject: |
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Museums huh? That does make more sense. I wonder if it handles like the original or close to it. It certainly looks stunning in any case.
In various sagas generous men are called ring breakers but it is unclear what kind of rings this refers to so the giving of rings in general seems to be symbolic. And what better way to give than to give the gift of a sword with a ring! 
Sjá, þar sé ek föður minn.
Sjá, þar sé ek móður mina ok systur mina ok bróður minn.
Sjá, þar sé ek allan minn frændgarð.
Sjá, kalla þeim tíl min.
Biðja mér at taka minn stað hjá þeim í sölum Valhallar, þar drengiligr menn munu lifa allan aldr.
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Johan S. Moen
Location: Kristiansand, Norway Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 259
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| Posted: Wed 29 Jun, 2005 8:17 am Post subject: |
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One wierd thing. The site claims that they produce the only copy of the snartemo sword. Well...if they do, then the sword is crap. I have seen it for sale at Oldsaksamlingen, and it is a horrible thing that looks like the blade is made of stainless. The fuller begins a few centimeters _above_ the crossguard, and the blade profile is wierd. The fittings look decent, but the overall appearance is shoddy.
Now, if it is as they claim, that Oldsaksamlingen has approved their sword, and only theirs, as an accurate replica of the snartemo sword, then I would steer away from it. Unless there are two companies replicating it, in which case the statement about the sword being the only available replica is slightly duboius.
Johan Schubert Moen
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Paul Mortimer
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| Posted: Wed 29 Jun, 2005 8:33 am Post subject: |
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Hi Johan,
I suspect that what you have seen is the Marto version, made in Toledo in Spain. It does have quite decent fittings but the blade is awful and it is sold without a scabbard. The Oldfunn version uses high quality parts but they do not show any details of the blade -- it does come with a very interesting looking scabbard.
When I win the lottery I shall buy one and ten more swords from Patrick Barta plus a few from Vince Evans and..........................
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Kirk Lee Spencer
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| Posted: Wed 29 Jun, 2005 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| Joe Yurgil wrote: |
In various sagas generous men are called ring breakers but it is unclear what kind of rings this refers to so the giving of rings in general seems to be symbolic. And what better way to give than to give the gift of a sword with a ring! |
Hi Joe...
I read somewhere that the use of the term "Breaker of Rings" in Beowulf was a reference to the practice of the King taking captured silver and gold and fashioning it into rings that could be worn on his arms or neck or where ever. He would break off pieces to give to those in his kingdom he deemed worthy. It was, in a sense, the Norse monetary system.
As for the movement of the ring on the ring hilts from the lower guard to the upper guard... One possibility is that the ring began as a way to hold the sword securely in the scabbard. A string would be fastened to the scabbard and could be threaded through the ring and then tied back to the scabbard. This eventually became known as a "peace band" to keep hot headed warriors from drawing their swords too quickly (like a safety on a rifle). As the ring and possible "peace band" took on more ceremonial or oath-taking significance, it is reasonable that it would be moved from the lower guard to the upper guard where it could be seen and accessed with greater ease.
Just my $.02... for what its worth.
ks
Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Johan S. Moen
Location: Kristiansand, Norway Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 259
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| Posted: Wed 29 Jun, 2005 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Paul Mortimer wrote: | Hi Johan,
I suspect that what you have seen is the Marto version, made in Toledo in Spain. It does have quite decent fittings but the blade is awful and it is sold without a scabbard. The Oldfunn version uses high quality parts but they do not show any details of the blade -- it does come with a very interesting looking scabbard.
When I win the lottery I shall buy one and ten more swords from Patrick Barta plus a few from Vince Evans and.......................... |
That sounds very plausible. Just a bit wierd that Oldsaksamlingen would approve one replica as the "only" replica, then sell another crappy one at the museum...
Johan Schubert Moen
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This is a standard topic