Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire
Mon 01 Aug, 2005 6:37 pm
| Jay Barron wrote: |
| Another impressive sword, Mac. Congrats. Are those beak nosed ribbon hilts attributed to a specific maker(s) or particular area of Scotland? |
Hi Jay
These "snouted", or "beak-nosed", ribbon hilts date to the 3rd quarter of the seventeenth century.
Gone now are the long counter curved quillons of earlier examples,having atrophied to a little "snout", or "beak" .
* "The arms of the basket no longer slot into holes on the pommel, but are welded to a crescent of iron which in turn slots into a groove around the pommel." ( * John Wallace 'Scottish Swords & Dirks")
According to Mazansky's book, 'British Basket-Hilted Swords" (2005), this style of hilt is "purely Scottish and to have probably been restricted to the Western Highlands."
I don't believe any of these hilts have ever been attributed to a perticular maker of the period, at least that I'm aware of ?
Thanks for all the nice words, Gentlemen ..... I'm sure Eljay is most grateful (as am I ) !!
Cheers, Mac
Posts: 198
Tue 02 Aug, 2005 10:11 pm
Geez thats cool! What fun! Theres never enough money...
Posts: 802 Location: In a van down by the river
Wed 03 Aug, 2005 4:45 pm
Another wonderful sword! Now that is a Turcael!
Gives me some ideas about what to do with my Eljay Ribbon hilt (nope, still don't have a blade... hopefully this indecision will allow me to save up some money for a real nice one, though....)....
Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire
Thu 04 Aug, 2005 12:19 pm
| David Wilson wrote: |
Another wonderful sword! Now that is a Turcael!
Gives me some ideas about what to do with my Eljay Ribbon hilt (nope, still don't have a blade... hopefully this indecision will allow me to save up some money for a real nice one, though....).... |
Hi Dave
Aye, your ribbon hilt would look awesome with a nice curved Turk blade, as would Ben Sweets brass ribbon !
'Ol Eljay has really been cranking out the swords these days ..... imagine if he retired from teaching and did this full-time :-)
Mac
Posts: 1,191 Location: Kingston, Washington
Thu 04 Aug, 2005 8:00 pm
Mac, this is a great piece! Congratulations on having it made! I've always been intreagued by the painting of "Alistair Grant, the Champion" and thought it so outrageously cool that he had a basket hilted kilij, and now here you have it! Very, very neat, and glad you had that made up. I love it when some really interesting, but rather obscure piece is reproduced. Bully for both you and Eljay!
Cheers!
Gordon
Posts: 198
Thu 04 Aug, 2005 10:23 pm
here is that picture. As a decendant of Clan Grant this is one of my faves! I eventually hope to build a whole kit based off this painting but everything is quite costly - That tartan would be a cutom order or a rare order at the least. But that is quite the sexy blade!
Attachment: 43.99 KB
Posts: 1,191 Location: Kingston, Washington
Thu 04 Aug, 2005 10:29 pm
Alan;
That's cool! I think it would be a really hot outfit and kit to get together! BTW, my friend Dale Shinn (who mostly makes matchlocks and wheellocks) has made a few of those Scottish muskets like the one pictured! So if you go to the expense of getting the baskethilted sabre AND the tartan, then you'd HAVE to get the musket, LOL! :D
Happy Thoughts!
Cheers,
Gordon
Posts: 107 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Fri 05 Aug, 2005 6:23 pm
Hi Mac,
That's a nice follow-up to the in-layed sword. I like.
Are you going to have the gold leaf designs added
at some point, to make it more like the museum
orginal? It would certainly add some flare. I like
the way Eljay's blades are looking these days too.
Very clean and refined. He's definately doing master's
work. And to think he does all this as a hobby for
extra cash. :) Well done Eljay, and well done Mac.
Alex
Posts: 386 Location: Agder, Norway
Sat 06 Aug, 2005 6:41 am
WOW!
Congratulations!
I've allways wanted to see a replica of that kilji-bladed ribbon hilt, and here you go!
Eljays swords are stunning!
If I had the cash I'd get one with a very broad blade, or with a dussag blade...
Post a piscture of the sword when you get the scabbard.
I have one question for you, Mac: How much of your spare time do you spend on holding and caressing your swords? :D
Cheers,
Henrik
Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire
Sat 06 Aug, 2005 10:03 am
| Henrik Bjoern Boegh wrote: |
| I have one question for you, Mac: How much of your spare time do you spend on holding and caressing your swords? :DCheers,Henrik |
Hi Henrik
It goes in spurts ....
Sometimes a month or more will go by without looking at, yet alone handle, any of them !
Other times, especially when a new piece arrives, I'm all over them .... re-photographing, comparing, etc!
When the weather is humid I tend to not handle them too much ....
I'll just peek at 'em to make sure nothing is rusting and perhaps give 'em a quick oily rag wipe down, depending !
I'm forever up in the air as to how I wish to display, or not display, them ?
Lately we have had far too many teenagers coming thru the house for my peace of mind to handle having them out in the open!
Oneday I'll figure out a secure, theft-proof, professional display that allows me to have them staring back at me on a daily basis !
:-) Mac
P.S. Thanks, Gordon, & Captain Alexander !
Much appreciated !
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