Is this an "old man's hobby"?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by spiral

Great stuff Jim but the fear is that in the west not many young men take up collecting this sort of stuff knowadays... Not like when when we were young men , then many boys/men were interested in guns & swords.

Spiral

Quite true Jonathan, at least in the public relations end of things. It seems that the political correctness syndrome has swept so many museums and people believe that shielding the public from these 'deadly things' will prevent violence. Actually here in the U.S. the interest in weapons does remain quite prevalent, but with the unbelievable expense of authentic antiques and fakes running rampant, it seems reproductions are more the mainstay.
It is true however that in my huge family with kids, legions of nieces and nephews, and my grandkids, none consider my fascination with historic weapons as anything but weird. There was a ray of light though with one of my nephews who my brother informed me was intrigued by knives. He is quite young, but I gave him an old theatrical knights sword, which will be kept for him but it will be his, his eyes lit up as he saw his fascination with tales of knights and medieval times became real.

I saw exactly what I felt when I would hold a patinated, worn and often broken old sword which I had researched and found key regimental marks linking it distinctly to historical events I had long studied. Here was a piece of that history which had been there in 'real time'! These arms are the very sentinels of history, and long to tell us thier stories, if we will only take the time to seek the questions and answers.

That is why I have studied this obsessively most of my life, and my goal has always been to remind not just collectors, but the public at large, that these arms were far more than simple deadly 'tools' but the very iconic fiber of entire cultures, groups, tribes, Faiths, and patriots.

I know most of us well understand this, and thankfully here we strive to research these arms, discover and preserve thier history, well deserved in being held with that of the people who used them.

All the best,
Jim