My Last Sword Adoption?

horseclover · Jul 30, 2022

I'd like to think so. I've actually really tried to reduce acquisitions but failed after my last promise to myself. A couple of more newly made swords underlined I really should be selling the masses of stuff instead of buying. Having quite recently caught a piece to complete my eaglehead pommel aerie, somehow I know if another sibling draws me to it, I'd fail in just looking. 1800ish < A Bolton type sabre to pair with my Bolton spadroon.

The months went by, as I sat on my hands and was doing well at just window shopping. Along came a sword that had been making the rounds over the past decades. Compulsion set in and my analytical side came up with an offering price. Sold! Dang, I had hoped the offer would have been rejected.

The net result is a short 'hewing' sword aka spadroon from the 1770s. The TG under a crown quite likely from Thomas Gill II.

My first spadroon, about the same period.

What was your last sword adoption and when are too many not enough?

Cheers
GC

An edit; I just remember now I have recently posted these two recent acquisitions to the board here. It must have been prompted by not buying yet another sword or knife. It is an Argentine cuchillo from the 20th century and favoring the Australian dollar. So, I guess this post is more a blades anonymous meeting kind of post. I've been blade buy free for almost a month!

Triton · Jul 30, 2022

Hmm well my latest was one that I need to take some pictures of a really nice XVa from the Czech Republic. That was the first one in a couple of years and the previous was several years before that so my pace has definitely slowed down. (I did purchase a 1914 springfield bayonet a couple of 1800s khukris and a very nice Phillip patton langseax in there too I guess) I guess that's what happens when you transition from production pieces to custom work or antiques. Things slow down a bit looking for just the right piece and your budget can only handle so many of those impacts. I've got a custom seax planned for sometime next year but that's the only thing even on the horizon at the moment. I did just spend a sizeable chunk of change on a belt cutting machine. I've discovered that lately I spend more on books and tooling for scabbards than I do on swords which is somewhat comical since the whole reason I started doing scabbards was so I could afford swords.

I thought really long and hard about a couple of the pieces that Vince Evans had on his table this year, but fortunately for my wallet they were already snapped up. That cinquedea was a thing of wonder however...

Triton · Jul 30, 2022

I will say it disturbs me that you think that might be it, a collection in stasis is one in a museum, not one that is an active collection anymore. So you don't see even upgrading pieces here and there etc?

horseclover · Jul 30, 2022

A bulk of my 'museum' is in storage since a move in 2017 and my real issue is adding more to a condo life. My old stuff is likely headed to an auction house in lots. Despite the want to have space, its just not a reality anymore. I see some contemporaries that dwarf my pile of stuff, so they must have done very well and have the space. Right now, it is going to be difficult enough to empty out a storage unit. I did start with giving a nephew the bulk of a guitar and electronic collection, only to last month buying another guitar ( I swore keeping two would be enough). I tend to start other obsessive collections and had been able to stop but blades some how keep sucking me in.

Knives I do often use but swords to cuddle have been a bigger problem. I kept my Evans and Cashen blades to knives. For the most part, the swords have been better buys per inch. I do dig the older stuff.

Recent new swords were affordable enough that I had to cap it at two offerings. Quality affordable stuff I could pile up too quickly.

A Rose reproduction that is scary good

Then I 'had' to get a smallsword from the same source (after I had already bought a period smallsword)

Great stuff from paint2 on ebay.

Really, I should stop any time!

Cheers
GC

Triton · Jul 30, 2022

Snazzy! Ladies and gentlemen of the jury I would submit that the defendant is not as done as he thinks and will undoubtedly relapse.

Triton · Jul 30, 2022

I don't think I knew that you had an Evans or Fashion piece, remind me what they are?

horseclover · Jul 31, 2022

A Vince Evans folder (engraving added) and small bowie

A Kevin Cashen bowie from his Journeyman Smith days

Too many Gilbreath, and so on...

Cheers
GC

horseclover · Jul 31, 2022

The cuchillo I am stalking isn't really costly but it all adds up. Abramo Eberle &Co. An Italian family moved to Brazil making these and I have trafficked in several, recently adding a large to close a trio of early ones. The Australian sale is a more unique pattern.

I must have bought and sold a dozen of them now but really 'need' this one. Another large one. The newer ones were mostly cowboy scenes and lost a lot of the deco stylings.

Abramo Eberle – Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre

pt-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog

Then more large alpaca metal vs the silver content Eberle examples. Really, I stopped at two!

Cheers
GC

Triton · Aug 12, 2022

horseclover said:
A Vince Evans folder (engraving added) and small bowie

View attachment 1885791 View attachment 1885792

A Kevin Cashen bowie from his Journeyman Smith days

View attachment 1885793

Too many Gilbreath, and so on...

Cheers
GC

Snazzy!! Great pieces by great makers.

gator68 · Aug 16, 2022

When you get around to letting go of some of those spadroons, maybe try listing them here?

horseclover · Aug 17, 2022

gator68 said:
When you get around to letting go of some of those spadroons, maybe try listing them here?

I'm actually mentally gearing up to do a few lots through an auction house. The last offer I had for spadroons, I had to reply with a larger lot than just one or two. At the least, I have somewhat set up how kin should approach it and that would be through Skinners, or some other New England auction house. When I'm dead, I'm dead and that's it. A single sheet of instructions thumbtacked to a bookshelf.

I don't think my apt manager would appreciate shelving I'd love to set up. So, closets and storage right now. If it was not a lease situation, I'd have those deep shelves (ala museum) as opposed to wall displays.

(a Wade Hampton's sword type)

The eagle and Gill are still out being fondled and an Ames m1870 naval bayonet close at hand.

I have to close out the storage. Rates went up again.

Cheers
GC

riversidedep · Aug 27, 2022

horseclover said:
Great stuff from paint2 on ebay.

I've got my eye on a couple of this seller's pieces. Do you think the quality is good for the price?

horseclover · Aug 28, 2022

I feel the two I purchased are good quality for the price. The Rose short sword is ground as sharp and not the blunts Windlass used to offer as default. On context and use, I feel they are as capable as the period swords they represent.

Cheers
GC

riversidedep · Aug 29, 2022

Thank you for the reply. I want to pick up an example (or two!) of some more "modern" swords, and their swords seem reasonably priced. Most of my collection is dark ages to middle ages European stuff.

horseclover · Aug 30, 2022

There are more descriptions of most at The Royal Sword dot com. The proprietor is somewhat partnered with the New Jersey ebayer. Jesse Belskey has been reworking some for stage work and parts in general.

I can't quickly find my comparison of that smallsword and a period sword I have here but in a nutshell, the repro was some ounces heavier (the period sword 14 ozs) and the shorter blade ending in a stouter point.

There is a favorable review on SBG regarding the Williamsburg sword. I have prompted several now to try the Rose sword, with good results. I found the Rose pretty fantastic. The 1767 smallsword posted above is actually pretty good but compared to a period sword, not quite in the same bracket.

It looks like paint2 has restocked. I am quite attracted to the 1860 cutlass and others but my pantry is quite full as it is.

My 14 oz cutie was bent and a bear to straighten it. The guard floppy around but now fixed. It actually fits the repro scabbard a good bit but is wider at the base of the blade. It was twice the price of a repro and lacks a scabbard but has a much bigger feel of history.

Cheers
GC