A Question on Collecting

Panzerraptor · 26th April 2016, 05:12 PM

Hello, everybody. I hope this is a proper place to post my question.

So I started collecting swords since last year and already I have a flyssa, a gold-encrusted shamshir, a takouba, and a (possibly) ceremonial kora. I enjoy having these weapons and hope to increase my collection further. Of course, you might notice that the shamshir on the list and, if you've seen the listing in the seller's forum, you're aware that this blade is of much more recent craft than its contemporaries. This leads to my main question: Are modern swords less worthy than antique arms?

Allow me to further pontificate my query. As a collector, or rather, sword enthusiast, I respect and appreciate the history of these items as reflections of the cultures and eras they hail from. Indeed, to have a sword and inspect it personally, and clean it within the confines of your home is a great way to understand how these weapons functioned and the significance they had in their place of origin. That said, as the first (and favorite type of) sword that I managed to obtain was a flyssa, I feel a sense of accomplishment as I have received such a prize that few people can attest to possessing: a rare weapon nearly three hundred years old with intricate designs and a unique build.

However, I understand that some swords or other periodic pieces are hard to come by either due to price or rarity or because, while exquisite in appearance, were made merely decades ago (again, the shamshir). From time to time, you will see items like these but made with relatively high quality and seemingly well-crafted replicas of historical versions (like how most katanas nowadays are - unless they're sold at the mall or HSN, of course - as there are very few examples beyond the usual gunto and fewer that can be obtained at an affordable price).

With this in mind, if one were to come across such replicants, like a ram dao based on an old model, are such items in this hobby seen as merely useless trinkets inexperienced collectors use to fill in space? Does having such an item, lacking any prior history other than "it's based on an existing sword" somehow cheapen the "true" experience and therefore the collection in general?

26th April 2016, 05:12 PM	#1
Panzerraptor Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 16	A Question on Collecting Hello, everybody. I hope this is a proper place to post my question. So I started collecting swords since last year and already I have a flyssa, a gold-encrusted shamshir, a takouba, and a (possibly) ceremonial kora. I enjoy having these weapons and hope to increase my collection further. Of course, you might notice that the shamshir on the list and, if you've seen the listing in the seller's forum, you're aware that this blade is of much more recent craft than its contemporaries. This leads to my main question: Are modern swords less worthy than antique arms? Allow me to further pontificate my query. As a collector, or rather, sword enthusiast, I respect and appreciate the history of these items as reflections of the cultures and eras they hail from. Indeed, to have a sword and inspect it personally, and clean it within the confines of your home is a great way to understand how these weapons functioned and the significance they had in their place of origin. That said, as the first (and favorite type of) sword that I managed to obtain was a flyssa, I feel a sense of accomplishment as I have received such a prize that few people can attest to possessing: a rare weapon nearly three hundred years old with intricate designs and a unique build. However, I understand that some swords or other periodic pieces are hard to come by either due to price or rarity or because, while exquisite in appearance, were made merely decades ago (again, the shamshir). From time to time, you will see items like these but made with relatively high quality and seemingly well-crafted replicas of historical versions (like how most katanas nowadays are - unless they're sold at the mall or HSN, of course - as there are very few examples beyond the usual gunto and fewer that can be obtained at an affordable price). With this in mind, if one were to come across such replicants, like a ram dao based on an old model, are such items in this hobby seen as merely useless trinkets inexperienced collectors use to fill in space? Does having such an item, lacking any prior history other than "it's based on an existing sword" somehow cheapen the "true" experience and therefore the collection in general?