Displaying your collection, circa 1968

Jeff Pringle · 20th February 2008, 04:22 PM

I recently got a copy of “Gammelt Jern,” a catalog of E. A. Christensen’s weapon collection by Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer published in 1968, which contains these photos of how Mr. Christensen had his weapons arranged…nice!

olikara · 20th February 2008, 04:47 PM

Where is the collection now?

josh stout · 20th February 2008, 04:59 PM

Visits from the grand kids must have been exciting

Josh

Lee · 20th February 2008, 05:21 PM

Much of it is now in the Nationalmuseet (National Museum) in Copenhagen.

Lew · 21st February 2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Much of it is now in the Nationalmuseet (National Museum) in Copenhagen.

Lee

I would have thought that you had most of these on display at your house?

See you at the show

Lew

Jens Nordlunde · 21st February 2008, 12:45 PM

Hi Jeff,
When we had finished printing the catalogue EA invited me, the editor and a few others for dinner. That was the first time I saw the collection 'live', it was a fantastic collection.
Jens

Marc · 22nd February 2008, 01:04 PM

I'm envious...

Jens, did you meet Ada Bruhn, there? She was already living in Spain when the catalog was printed.

Jens Nordlunde · 22nd February 2008, 02:45 PM

No Marc, Ada Bruhn was not at the dinner, I suppose she was in Spain.
One thing you must remember is, that EA, in 1968, had collected for more that 50 years. He had a eye for quality weapons, European or Oriental, and he could afford to buy when the right weapon came up for sale.
Did you know that the first catalogue showing EA's collection was published in 1935 in Vaabenhistoriske AArboeger I - both catalogues are, unfortunately, in Danish, as they were a yearbook for the Society's members.

Jeff Pringle · 22nd February 2008, 02:51 PM

Hey, Jens - that must have been a great evening! I didn't notice your name on the title page until now. Any chance the old negatives could be dug out of storage, and a large-format, coffee-table style reprint of this volume be produced?

Jens Nordlunde · 22nd February 2008, 03:17 PM

Hey Jeff, I am afraid that both negatives and the photos are lost - remember it is more than 40 years ago the book was printed and both EA, the photographer, and most of the editors and other helpers are dead years ago.

Mark · 22nd February 2008, 06:18 PM

More dha (on the table in the second photo).

Tim Simmons · 22nd February 2008, 09:46 PM

Pretty patterns, any learned legacy?

Marc · 23rd February 2008, 11:12 PM

I saw this book for the first time in the library of the Hoffmeyer Institute, been looking for it ever since, not exactly easy to find

Congratulations

Jens Nordlunde · 24th February 2008, 10:23 AM

Marc,
It will, no doubt, be difficult to get the book. It was only printed in a small number for the members of the Society, just like The Indian Sword, Danish edition.

Andrew · 24th February 2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark

More dha (on the table in the second photo).

I think those are Japanese, Mark.

Jens Nordlunde · 24th February 2008, 04:27 PM

Yes, Andrew is right

.
Jens

Jim McDougall · 24th February 2008, 09:42 PM

What a fantastic photo Jeff! Thank you for sharing it!
I think we all are trying to teleport ourselves into that room to see the weapons closer, and wish we were there in another time.....Jens, you were so incredibly lucky to have seen this.

I have a very fond memory of many years ago (with only pictures in my mind) when a visited a very prominant collector who lived in an old mansion. It was very much mindful of one of the old film noire movies. In entering this really spooky old house, I was led into the living room where an old Persian carpet was pulled back, revealing a trap door. Down an old iron spiral staircase, I descended into the most breathtaking array of full suits of armour, tables and walls of swords, knives, guns from hundreds of years ago. I will never forget it, especially the entire scenario!

Thank you again Jeff for bringing back wonderful memories!

All the best,
Jim

rand · 24th February 2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

What a fantastic photo Jeff! Thank you for sharing it!
I think we all are trying to teleport ourselves into that room to see the weapons closer, and wish we were there in another time.....Jens, you were so incredibly lucky to have seen this.

I have a very fond memory of many years ago (with only pictures in my mind) when a visited a very prominant collector who lived in an old mansion. It was very much mindful of one of the old film noire movies. In entering this really spooky old house, I was led into the living room where an old Persian carpet was pulled back, revealing a trap door. Down an old iron spiral staircase, I descended into the most breathtaking array of full suits of armour, tables and walls of swords, knives, guns from hundreds of years ago. I will never forget it, especially the entire scenario!

Thank you again Jeff for bringing back wonderful memories!

All the best,
Jim

Was it a very heavy round door?

rand

Jim McDougall · 24th February 2008, 11:15 PM

Yup it was! Just like the movies!!

LOL!
No, this wasn't the 60's and there werent no purple haze!!
Actually, you could lift it with one hand.

All the best,
Jim

Jeff Pringle · 3rd March 2008, 07:53 AM

You are welcome, Jim!

I didn’t even know of this book’s existence, but found it while searching for Hoffmeyer’s other hard-to-find book on the medieval two-edged sword, lucked out and got them both.

If Jens doesn’t mind further copyright infringement, I can post some scans of selected plates from the volume.

The Eastern weapons get fewer close-ups than the European stuff, but there are a couple nice arrays of swords from the Near East.

Jens Nordlunde · 3rd March 2008, 11:11 AM

Jeff,
I don't mind at all, besides I don't have the copyright

.

Jeff Pringle · 4th March 2008, 04:59 AM

Well, you have a personal connection to the book, which seems better than copyright anyway.

It’ll be a week before I can do any more scanning; but in the interest of sharing academic information from a generally unavailable source, here’s one, many thanks to the Våbenhistorisk Selskab for producing the image and volume in the first place!

20th February 2008, 04:22 PM	#1
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Displaying your collection, circa 1968 I recently got a copy of “Gammelt Jern,” a catalog of E. A. Christensen’s weapon collection by Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer published in 1968, which contains these photos of how Mr. Christensen had his weapons arranged…nice! Attached Images

24th February 2008, 04:27 PM	#16
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Yes, Andrew is right. Jens

3rd March 2008, 11:11 AM	#21
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Jeff, I don't mind at all, besides I don't have the copyright.

4th March 2008, 04:59 AM	#22
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Well, you have a personal connection to the book, which seems better than copyright anyway. It’ll be a week before I can do any more scanning; but in the interest of sharing academic information from a generally unavailable source, here’s one, many thanks to the Våbenhistorisk Selskab for producing the image and volume in the first place! Attached Images

20th February 2008, 04:47 PM	#2
olikara Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: India Posts: 100	Where is the collection now?

20th February 2008, 04:59 PM	#3
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	Visits from the grand kids must have been exciting Josh

20th February 2008, 05:21 PM	#4
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 913	Much of it is now in the Nationalmuseet (National Museum) in Copenhagen.

21st February 2008, 12:45 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Jeff, When we had finished printing the catalogue EA invited me, the editor and a few others for dinner. That was the first time I saw the collection 'live', it was a fantastic collection. Jens

22nd February 2008, 01:04 PM	#7
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	I'm envious... Jens, did you meet Ada Bruhn, there? She was already living in Spain when the catalog was printed.

22nd February 2008, 02:45 PM	#8
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	No Marc, Ada Bruhn was not at the dinner, I suppose she was in Spain. One thing you must remember is, that EA, in 1968, had collected for more that 50 years. He had a eye for quality weapons, European or Oriental, and he could afford to buy when the right weapon came up for sale. Did you know that the first catalogue showing EA's collection was published in 1935 in Vaabenhistoriske AArboeger I - both catalogues are, unfortunately, in Danish, as they were a yearbook for the Society's members.

22nd February 2008, 02:51 PM	#9
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Hey, Jens - that must have been a great evening! I didn't notice your name on the title page until now. Any chance the old negatives could be dug out of storage, and a large-format, coffee-table style reprint of this volume be produced?

22nd February 2008, 03:17 PM	#10
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hey Jeff, I am afraid that both negatives and the photos are lost - remember it is more than 40 years ago the book was printed and both EA, the photographer, and most of the editors and other helpers are dead years ago.

22nd February 2008, 06:18 PM	#11
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	More dha (on the table in the second photo).

22nd February 2008, 09:46 PM	#12
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Pretty patterns, any learned legacy?

23rd February 2008, 11:12 PM	#13
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	I saw this book for the first time in the library of the Hoffmeyer Institute, been looking for it ever since, not exactly easy to find Congratulations

24th February 2008, 10:23 AM	#14
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Marc, It will, no doubt, be difficult to get the book. It was only printed in a small number for the members of the Society, just like The Indian Sword, Danish edition.

24th February 2008, 09:42 PM	#17
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,938	What a fantastic photo Jeff! Thank you for sharing it! I think we all are trying to teleport ourselves into that room to see the weapons closer, and wish we were there in another time.....Jens, you were so incredibly lucky to have seen this. I have a very fond memory of many years ago (with only pictures in my mind) when a visited a very prominant collector who lived in an old mansion. It was very much mindful of one of the old film noire movies. In entering this really spooky old house, I was led into the living room where an old Persian carpet was pulled back, revealing a trap door. Down an old iron spiral staircase, I descended into the most breathtaking array of full suits of armour, tables and walls of swords, knives, guns from hundreds of years ago. I will never forget it, especially the entire scenario! Thank you again Jeff for bringing back wonderful memories! All the best, Jim

24th February 2008, 11:15 PM	#19
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,938	Yup it was! Just like the movies!! LOL! No, this wasn't the 60's and there werent no purple haze!! Actually, you could lift it with one hand. All the best, Jim

3rd March 2008, 07:53 AM	#20
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	You are welcome, Jim! I didn’t even know of this book’s existence, but found it while searching for Hoffmeyer’s other hard-to-find book on the medieval two-edged sword, lucked out and got them both. If Jens doesn’t mind further copyright infringement, I can post some scans of selected plates from the volume. The Eastern weapons get fewer close-ups than the European stuff, but there are a couple nice arrays of swords from the Near East.