how do we classify a weapon tourist,origin,time period ?

RobertGuy · 17th September 2015, 02:59 PM

[QUOTE=A. G. Maisey]Jens, may I suggest that the people who own the cultural artifact are the ones who decide what it is known as?

I agree in theory but sometimes this can lead to more confusion. Often the local name for a particular type of sword just translates as sword, katana is a long sword, claymore is a great sword or big sword. When you say claymore do you refer to a medieval two hander, a basket hilted broad sword, a basket hilted back sword, or a sword like object that Scotts lassies dance around?

This is what makes collecting and researching such fun. Of course you could stick to collecting European military swords of the 18th -20th centuries with their clear official pattern numbers ... unless you count variant blades

Tim Simmons · 17th September 2015, 05:24 PM

This is a very interesting thread. Tribal people might make a weapon from local and found foreign pieces. it is still an "ethnic weapon" also tools can be weapons. Many battles when the peasants where sent in they would most likely fight with tool like weapon {spades, forks so on}.

This is a difficult area especially when it comes to trade. It is so easy for a vendor or buyer to say this or that is not right. However knowledge {culture, history, technique and region influences} and searching for real examples should make it easier to spot the cobbled together fake pieces. Anything off standard is always open to blinkered questioning which is a shame. On the over hand it can mean good piece for those on more limited means.

17th September 2015, 02:59 PM	#1
RobertGuy Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 135	[QUOTE=A. G. Maisey]Jens, may I suggest that the people who own the cultural artifact are the ones who decide what it is known as? I agree in theory but sometimes this can lead to more confusion. Often the local name for a particular type of sword just translates as sword, katana is a long sword, claymore is a great sword or big sword. When you say claymore do you refer to a medieval two hander, a basket hilted broad sword, a basket hilted back sword, or a sword like object that Scotts lassies dance around? This is what makes collecting and researching such fun. Of course you could stick to collecting European military swords of the 18th -20th centuries with their clear official pattern numbers ... unless you count variant blades

17th September 2015, 05:24 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	This is a very interesting thread. Tribal people might make a weapon from local and found foreign pieces. it is still an "ethnic weapon" also tools can be weapons. Many battles when the peasants where sent in they would most likely fight with tool like weapon {spades, forks so on}. This is a difficult area especially when it comes to trade. It is so easy for a vendor or buyer to say this or that is not right. However knowledge {culture, history, technique and region influences} and searching for real examples should make it easier to spot the cobbled together fake pieces. Anything off standard is always open to blinkered questioning which is a shame. On the over hand it can mean good piece for those on more limited means.