Awesome Jacobite period basket hilt broadsword

Jim McDougall · 24th September 2021, 09:02 PM

Right Capn,
Paul MacDonald of Edinburgh, who was the one who restored Rob Roys sword in 2007, has an outstanding reputation as a sword restorer, but as a Master of Arms swordsman. This venture began as the family who owned the Stuart sword wielded in the famed duel sought him out to restore the sword.

With this he had the idea of trying to locate Rob Roys 'actual' sword (not examples which had been displayed from the time of Sir Walter Scott). Through meticulous research he finally located it still with a family descended from MacGregor's landlord. It had been kept rather unceremoniously in a shed, and was notably in poor condition though intact.

This is hardly the case where someone has a weapon and is parading it around as belonging to some famous figure, but one researched and found in situ.

There are countless examples of weapons purported to have belonged to famous persons, but too often these have chain of custody and provenance flaws which compromise them. At best they can often serve as 'of the type' examples.
In our familiar studies of pirates, there are the wonderful paintings by Pyle and Wyeth which present colorful images of these characters, despite the inclusion of brass hilt naval cutlasses of Civil War period!

24th September 2021, 09:02 PM	#32
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Right Capn, Paul MacDonald of Edinburgh, who was the one who restored Rob Roys sword in 2007, has an outstanding reputation as a sword restorer, but as a Master of Arms swordsman. This venture began as the family who owned the Stuart sword wielded in the famed duel sought him out to restore the sword. With this he had the idea of trying to locate Rob Roys 'actual' sword (not examples which had been displayed from the time of Sir Walter Scott). Through meticulous research he finally located it still with a family descended from MacGregor's landlord. It had been kept rather unceremoniously in a shed, and was notably in poor condition though intact. This is hardly the case where someone has a weapon and is parading it around as belonging to some famous figure, but one researched and found in situ. There are countless examples of weapons purported to have belonged to famous persons, but too often these have chain of custody and provenance flaws which compromise them. At best they can often serve as 'of the type' examples. In our familiar studies of pirates, there are the wonderful paintings by Pyle and Wyeth which present colorful images of these characters, despite the inclusion of brass hilt naval cutlasses of Civil War period!