Unique and Impressive Two Handed Sword

Lee · 14th January 2022, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornelistromp

There are now so many counterfeits in excavated swords on offer that the majority of collectors no longer know what a real excavated sword should look like.

As to overall agreement about the current state of affairs, I would say that we are 100% in agreement.

I did a detailed XRF study of my collection and discovered many interesting things. I still am far from really understanding the data (COVID came along and killed interpretative progress!) but some items that had received a thumbs down from the "great denunciator" appear to have been vindicated, while questions were raised about other well regarded swords that had passed so many other hurdles. The technical examination conclusively 'killed' one Viking style sword that had come before 2000 from a most reliable dealer and embarrassingly I only recognized the anachronistic stylistic features after they were pointed out to me and this led to my review of the technical data and a horrible sinking feeling. I never had suspected that sword as it had come from a most reliable dealer before the preset scourge of forgeries became apparent. At least it was not a personal favorite.

I suspect that some of the recent fabrications from before around 2000 may have been what I will call exercises in "academic craftsmanship" and were not at the outset ever intended to deceive. Then the items fell into the wrong hands.

cornelistromp · 16th January 2022, 10:19 AM

It has become a strange reality, often the dealer does not know exactly whether the piece is right or not, but a reliable dealer will always have to find a solution instead of caveat emptor.
Some counterfeits are so well made that unfortunately they can fool authorities and sometimes are even published in a renowned highly regarded PL arms-armour catalogue. I unfortunately have a recent example of this.
This has also created great suspicion in the assessment of weapons and anything that looks just a little too good or looks different from the familiar is often dismissed as forgery.
I catch myself doing this too, nevertheless I try to remain as objective as possible at all times. Likewise with the sword under discussion, as strange as it may look, personally I keep open the small possibility of beeing a 16th century sword.

best,
Jasper

16th January 2022, 10:19 AM	#2
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	It has become a strange reality, often the dealer does not know exactly whether the piece is right or not, but a reliable dealer will always have to find a solution instead of caveat emptor. Some counterfeits are so well made that unfortunately they can fool authorities and sometimes are even published in a renowned highly regarded PL arms-armour catalogue. I unfortunately have a recent example of this. This has also created great suspicion in the assessment of weapons and anything that looks just a little too good or looks different from the familiar is often dismissed as forgery. I catch myself doing this too, nevertheless I try to remain as objective as possible at all times. Likewise with the sword under discussion, as strange as it may look, personally I keep open the small possibility of beeing a 16th century sword. best, Jasper