Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 8th February 2017, 03:43 PM   #1
Kubur
Member
 
Kubur's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,145
Default Is it a real sword or a fantasy??

Is it a real sword or a fantasy??
Like a cleaver / pala... should be a fantasy...
Attached Images
 
Kubur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 03:58 PM   #2
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default

First, let me say that it is a very cool piece. I think it is a fantasy sword, if for no other reason than the finger loop is above the guard instead of below it, which kind of defeats the purpose of the guard.
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 04:48 PM   #3
Roland_M
Member
 
Roland_M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 525
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubur
Is it a real sword or a fantasy??
Like a cleaver / pala... should be a fantasy...
The strange yelman and the curious point give enough clues to say: modern fantasy sword.

Best wishes,
Roland
Roland_M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 05:37 PM   #4
Oliver Pinchot
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 457
Default

Would it be possible to see detailed pics?
Oliver Pinchot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 06:07 PM   #5
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

At first glance, my reaction is " Far too elaborate for a "fantasy".
A ring outside the crossguard doesn't bother me very much: European ( German, Polish etc) swords had a similar feature on the side.
Intriguing....
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 06:12 PM   #6
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,807
Default

I second that. Better pics would help. The ring is in the right place under the back of the sword. it would very hard indeed for an opponent to severe the finger.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 06:14 PM   #7
Oliver Pinchot
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 457
Default

I asked because it shows Spanish Colonial, Ottoman and Moroccan characteristics which could well have been conflated in a latter 19th century Moroccan environment.
Oliver Pinchot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 08:11 PM   #8
Battara
EAAF Staff
 
Battara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,219
Default

Although it looks fantasy to me, the ring could be in the right place depending one how you would hold it. Some Spanish swords have a ring in this same place, which does also make me think Spain as well.
Battara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 08:38 PM   #9
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,183
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Battara
Although it looks fantasy to me, the ring could be in the right place depending one how you would hold it. Some Spanish swords have a ring in this same place, which does also make me think Spain as well.
so, in spanish, it's an espada ancha

many early european swords/rapiers were held with a finger over the crossguard protected by a loop, some less protective than this one.

looks like a nice hunting bone chopper, part of a gamekeeper's trousse? dressing a deer can get slippery, a ring would help. ditto if dismembering a human. would make a nice side-arm. i note it hangs edge up in it's scabbard. (fernando cross posted at the same time i edited this -GMTA )

Last edited by kronckew; 8th February 2017 at 08:49 PM.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 08:46 PM   #10
fernando
(deceased)
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
Default

If it is not a fantasy, it certainly is a whimsy weapon.
Note the scabbard suspension rings on the convex side ... Shaska style ?
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 08:52 PM   #11
mross
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 478
Default

Can you tell if it's forged or stock removal? My first guess is forged but can't tell for sure.
mross is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 08:56 PM   #12
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,183
Default

i had been thinkling of some rather fanciful german troussen like these:
Attached Images
   
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 10:58 PM   #13
broadaxe
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 332
Default

"Fantasy" is not necessarily a bad word. There is a huge market for modern well-made custom swords, outside the circles of ethnographic weapons. This one appears to be such a sword, it was probably pretty costly as new.
broadaxe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th February 2017, 11:23 PM   #14
machinist
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 93
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fernando
Note the scabbard suspension rings on the convex side ... Shaska style ?
This struck me also, looking at some features, especially in the construction of the scabbard I think that this being made by one of the modern Caucasus swordsmiths whose lovely work is often passed on ebay as vintage may be added to the possibilities. Their work is usually traditional but some will make whatever sells.
If it had a lot of niello I would be more certain
machinist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9th February 2017, 12:56 PM   #15
Roland_M
Member
 
Roland_M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 525
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubur
Is it a real sword or a fantasy??
Like a cleaver / pala... should be a fantasy...
Hello,

I was sure, that I already have seen the point of this sword. It took some hours but now I know where. It is the point of a European medieval cleaver or falchion, see the picture.
I know this point from the "Mount and Blade" game, it's one of the most powerful weapons.
So the point of your sword seems to be inspired by a very old European type.

best wishes,
Roland
Attached Images
 
Roland_M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9th February 2017, 11:31 PM   #16
David R
Member
 
David R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,079
Default

Certainly a "bespoke" piece. I would be happy to own it whatever the date it was made.
David R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 12:07 AM   #17
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

Roland,
Bizarre blades from Maciejowski Bible serve as an inspiration for scores of "Hobbit" fans. But all actual examples of their bladesmithing I've seen can not bite ankles of this puppy's sophistication.

Only the actual owner of this masterpiece can assess the age.
IMHO, it might be cheaper to buy a wootz Shamshir than to order an identical copy.
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 12:13 AM   #18
David
Keris forum moderator
 
David's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,123
Default

I've been watching this thread with great interest hoping someone came up with a good answer here.
I will say, just from my own perspective (and this is certainly just semantics on y part) that i would not call this a "fantasy sword". When i do think about "fantasy" blades what springs to mind are cheap, mass produced blades that generally are made at best from 420 steel and are inspired mostly from movies and video games. This, on the other hand, seems to be a hand forged (perhaps) one-off piece that involves some refined level of craft and while exotic it is hardly over the top in its design. Probably a contemporary piece, but a lovely one at that.
Keep digging gentleman and perhaps we will find some interesting answers.
BTW Kubur, where did you source this photo from?
David is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 12:35 PM   #19
fernando
(deceased)
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
Default

In my humble perspective, whether you call it a decorative, a fantasy, an exotic or even a bespoke piece, it certainly wasn't forged to be a 'real sword'. Inspired on whatever original to serve as its muse, it could have less of that than in its autor giving wings to his imagination; resulting more in an object than in a serious weapon.
But then, as se say in my whereabouts, you don't discuss tastes .
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 01:03 PM   #20
Kubur
Member
 
Kubur's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,145
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by David
BTW Kubur, where did you source this photo from?
I really don't know, just picked up on google.
I don't even know if it's a photo... It might be a very well done 3d model for a video game... Nowadays it's difficult to make the difference...
A lot of things are unrealistic such as the suspension rings and the guard...
Kubur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 01:19 PM   #21
fernando
(deceased)
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubur
I really don't know, just picked up on google.
I don't even know if it's a photo... It might be a very well done 3d model for a video game... Nowadays it's difficult to make the difference...
A lot of things are unrealistic such as the suspension rings and the guard...
So ...
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 03:43 PM   #22
fernando
(deceased)
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
Default Bizarre

This is how you would have to hang this thing from your waist; a bit unhandy, i guess ...


.
Attached Images
 
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 06:20 PM   #23
mross
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 478
Default

Still can't tell if forged or stock removal, if not in hand somewhere we will never know, but not really relevant for real vs fantasy. I was just curious. What I do find relevant is that bump on the spine to me would preclude being able to draw the blade quickly. So unless the user is carrying it around in hand all the time, they would tend to have a very short life expectancy.
mross is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th February 2017, 07:54 PM   #24
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,183
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mross
...I was just curious. What I do find relevant is that bump on the spine to me would preclude being able to draw the blade quickly. So unless the user is carrying it around in hand all the time, they would tend to have a very short life expectancy.
it's much like a langeseax, and may be was intended to be worn in the small of your back & edge up. wonder if the side is open from the bump to the throat to make up for the bump. the finger ring would help to haul it out.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11th February 2017, 04:48 AM   #25
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,200
Default

The lighting and shadows cast by the two items in the subject of this thread look very odd and inconsistent. It does not look like a real photograph to me.

Ian.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th February 2017, 07:36 AM   #26
machinist
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 93
Default

Found it http://astalo.deviantart.com/art/My-precious-281649270 An artist on Deviant Art made it for himself supposedly. Ians comment made me curious and I was sure he was right and we were all fooled so I did a reverse google image search and this piece has appeared on seemingly thousands of sites mostly about gamers and zomby apocalypses

Looking at his gallery is jawdropping http://ugo-serrano.deviantart.com/gallery/

Last edited by machinist; 12th February 2017 at 07:51 AM.
machinist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th February 2017, 09:33 AM   #27
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,807
Default

At least we did ask for better pictures before any verdict.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th February 2017, 04:44 PM   #28
fernando
(deceased)
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by machinist
... and we were all fooled ...
Make it a figure of speech .
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13th February 2017, 02:27 PM   #29
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

I do not think we were fooled: the issue was not about quality , but rather of style and age. Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Dali come to mind:-)
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13th February 2017, 04:00 PM   #30
David
Keris forum moderator
 
David's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,123
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by machinist
Found it http://astalo.deviantart.com/art/My-precious-281649270 An artist on Deviant Art made it for himself supposedly. Ians comment made me curious and I was sure he was right and we were all fooled so I did a reverse google image search and this piece has appeared on seemingly thousands of sites mostly about gamers and zomby apocalypses

Looking at his gallery is jawdropping http://ugo-serrano.deviantart.com/gallery/
Great work. Which reverse image search did you use? When i used tineye.com i came up with a bunch of the zombie gamers, but couldn't find the source image.
No offense to Ian here, but apparently he was not right since it does seem this is indeed an actual photograph of an actual sword. I believe most of us were fairly certain this was a modern piece using past influences which does now seem to be the case. This guy is a rather talented contemporary metal smith with a flair for ancient styles. Pretty fantastic really, though obviously not what we do here.
David is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:20 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.