Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

ariel · 30th April 2006, 07:31 PM

These comments beg for a general question:
Is it appropriate and desirable to perform extensive repair on the antiques that were damaged by age, use and (inevitably, as they are instruments of war) abuse?
I am not trying to argue one way or another, but just want your opinions:
if you get a great sword with a noticeably damaged handle and the damage is also obviously old, would you repair the damage to make it invisible even though the repair negates the history and the experience of the sword? Is it permissible to perform an extensive (and often expensive) cosmetic surgery on a weapon not in order to restore it's needed function but to superficially return it to the pristine state? Even more, would you further enhance the appearance, such as silver-cladding the handle, or attaching a junggayan handle to a great blade with an original but ordinary one?
I am not talking about actual users who put a new handle on a sword to take it to battle (that goes without saying!) but about collectors who want to have a virginally- perfect sword on the wall.

30th April 2006, 07:31 PM	#18
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	These comments beg for a general question: Is it appropriate and desirable to perform extensive repair on the antiques that were damaged by age, use and (inevitably, as they are instruments of war) abuse? I am not trying to argue one way or another, but just want your opinions: if you get a great sword with a noticeably damaged handle and the damage is also obviously old, would you repair the damage to make it invisible even though the repair negates the history and the experience of the sword? Is it permissible to perform an extensive (and often expensive) cosmetic surgery on a weapon not in order to restore it's needed function but to superficially return it to the pristine state? Even more, would you further enhance the appearance, such as silver-cladding the handle, or attaching a junggayan handle to a great blade with an original but ordinary one? I am not talking about actual users who put a new handle on a sword to take it to battle (that goes without saying!) but about collectors who want to have a virginally- perfect sword on the wall. Last edited by ariel; 30th April 2006 at 08:37 PM.