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- Feb 15, 2002
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Dont miss the chance to see this one up close at BLADE Show in Atlanta next weekend!
After winning Best Collaboration last year with a pair of Tom Overeynder folding daggers engraved by Brian Hochstrat, The Rescue of Angelica and Rodomontes Doom, collector and custom knife patron Paul Kessler has pulled together another extraordinary entry for the same category this year.
The project started with Emanuel Espositos Rhino taillock folder. This precision model features ultra-dramatic lines and a generous engraving canvas on both sides.
Cowboy scholar and supremely talented engraver, Brian Hochstrat from Midvale, Idaho, then created unique artwork depicting the famous ancient Greek poems attributed to Homer The Iliad and The Odyssey fully dressing both sides of the knife. (note: the title of each image refers to the large, closed knife view with a smaller open knife view below featuring the other side)
This is a substantial and significant effort on Brians part that goes far beyond the more typical collaboration that has only beauty as its goal. What follows is our take on that significance as well as an outline of the story told by Homer, dating approximately to around 1190 BCE. (Combining archeological data concerning the destruction of Troy with astronomical phenomena referenced in the poems it is possible to say with a fair degree of certainty that Homers epic poems were written very close in time to the actual events they describe.)
Why do The Iliad and The Odyssey matter?
Basically the Greeks recovered written language after it disappeared from peoples lives during the dark ages, and Homers two poems represent the first examples of its historical reappearance. The imagination is challenged to contemplate where civilization might be today had written language not been forthcoming for many more centuries.
It is also a chilling reminder to us that there are forces at work today aggressively pressing for abandonment of civilized advances on par with written language like science, self-determination and the democratic rule of law. Imperfect as these things are, should the candle of enlightenment get snuffed they would disappear and our species could once again descend into darkness.
This then is the thematic significance Brian has visually brought to us in such beautiful and expert style.
For those with interest here is a summary of the story told in these two epic Greek poems (rather a simplified version that speaks to the visual highlights Brian engraved on the knife).
The Iliad tells the saga of a nine year war fought over a woman
, Queen Helen of Sparta, whose infamous love affair with the enemy Paris, Prince of Troy, impelled her to depart from her husband, Sparta's King Menelaus, and shack up with Paris in his fortified city. The long fight reached a stalemate of sorts and the Greeks appeared to give up and depart for their homeland, leaving a giant wooden horse, The Trojan Horse, as a token outside the gates of Troy. Noting their enemy's departure the Trojans foolishly hauled the presumed booty horse inside their gates. During the night a Greek force under the command of Odysseus emerged from the horse and proceeded to sack Troy and vanquish the Trojans.
The Odyssey picks up the story as Odysseus and his brothers in arms try to make their way back home amidst the many obstacles placed in their way by cruel and capricious gods who love nothing more that to toy with the poor pathetic little humans. Circe, the witch, temporarily turned Odysseus' men into pigs. A Siren, the bird-woman who lives atop a huge pile of skulls tempts our heroes off course. The Cyclops, Polyphemus, winds up eating some of Odysseus' men. Odysseus in turn blinds Polyphemus with a sharp stick to his one big eye. Then Poseidon, father of Polyphemus, gets really mad, raises a huge storm which smashes Odysseus' boat and finally kills all his men. Just as Odysseus's odds of survival appear to plummet, Zeus intervenes and allows him to live happily ever after.
After winning Best Collaboration last year with a pair of Tom Overeynder folding daggers engraved by Brian Hochstrat, The Rescue of Angelica and Rodomontes Doom, collector and custom knife patron Paul Kessler has pulled together another extraordinary entry for the same category this year.
The project started with Emanuel Espositos Rhino taillock folder. This precision model features ultra-dramatic lines and a generous engraving canvas on both sides.
Cowboy scholar and supremely talented engraver, Brian Hochstrat from Midvale, Idaho, then created unique artwork depicting the famous ancient Greek poems attributed to Homer The Iliad and The Odyssey fully dressing both sides of the knife. (note: the title of each image refers to the large, closed knife view with a smaller open knife view below featuring the other side)
This is a substantial and significant effort on Brians part that goes far beyond the more typical collaboration that has only beauty as its goal. What follows is our take on that significance as well as an outline of the story told by Homer, dating approximately to around 1190 BCE. (Combining archeological data concerning the destruction of Troy with astronomical phenomena referenced in the poems it is possible to say with a fair degree of certainty that Homers epic poems were written very close in time to the actual events they describe.)
Why do The Iliad and The Odyssey matter?
Basically the Greeks recovered written language after it disappeared from peoples lives during the dark ages, and Homers two poems represent the first examples of its historical reappearance. The imagination is challenged to contemplate where civilization might be today had written language not been forthcoming for many more centuries.
It is also a chilling reminder to us that there are forces at work today aggressively pressing for abandonment of civilized advances on par with written language like science, self-determination and the democratic rule of law. Imperfect as these things are, should the candle of enlightenment get snuffed they would disappear and our species could once again descend into darkness.
This then is the thematic significance Brian has visually brought to us in such beautiful and expert style. For those with interest here is a summary of the story told in these two epic Greek poems (rather a simplified version that speaks to the visual highlights Brian engraved on the knife).
The Iliad tells the saga of a nine year war fought over a woman
, Queen Helen of Sparta, whose infamous love affair with the enemy Paris, Prince of Troy, impelled her to depart from her husband, Sparta's King Menelaus, and shack up with Paris in his fortified city. The long fight reached a stalemate of sorts and the Greeks appeared to give up and depart for their homeland, leaving a giant wooden horse, The Trojan Horse, as a token outside the gates of Troy. Noting their enemy's departure the Trojans foolishly hauled the presumed booty horse inside their gates. During the night a Greek force under the command of Odysseus emerged from the horse and proceeded to sack Troy and vanquish the Trojans. The Odyssey picks up the story as Odysseus and his brothers in arms try to make their way back home amidst the many obstacles placed in their way by cruel and capricious gods who love nothing more that to toy with the poor pathetic little humans. Circe, the witch, temporarily turned Odysseus' men into pigs. A Siren, the bird-woman who lives atop a huge pile of skulls tempts our heroes off course. The Cyclops, Polyphemus, winds up eating some of Odysseus' men. Odysseus in turn blinds Polyphemus with a sharp stick to his one big eye. Then Poseidon, father of Polyphemus, gets really mad, raises a huge storm which smashes Odysseus' boat and finally kills all his men. Just as Odysseus's odds of survival appear to plummet, Zeus intervenes and allows him to live happily ever after.
