Your favorite swords? Post 'em!

FortyTwoBlades

Baryonyx walkeri
Dealer / Materials Provider
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Mar 8, 2008
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Doesn't matter if they're antique or modern. Post what you like, and tell us why!

Here are a few of my favorites:

French "Briquet" infantry sabre
french_infantry_hanger_1820a.jpg


I've always loved the effective simplicity of this pattern, and have had the chance to handle an original. Comfortable and nimble, offering a good compromise between hand protection, ease of carry, and cost of manufacture. These were cranked out in huge volume, and for good reason!

The Italian cinquedea
pp_turrini_03.jpg

As you can see, it's got one heck of a broad blade! The term "cinquedea" referred to the base of the being five fingers wide at the base! I've got a thing for broad blades, and this is one of the broadest. They were commonly carried in place of a sword in areas like cities that had restrictions on blade length. They were worn horizontally at the small of the back (what we now commonly refer to as "scout style").

Swiss baselard
ts_img_swords_basil_500x203.jpg

The sidearm of the Swiss mercenaries, this simple sword was an effective cut-and-thrust design. It's something of a "working man's sword" and I like that about it. These saw lots of variation--a favorite of mine being the one below. Note the broad blade and finger ring!
fromTheBayerischesNat_museum.jpg


1908 Indian Cavalry Sabre
MI15247_HR.JPG

A dedicated thrusting sword intended for use from horseback. The design represents one of the last swords that saw actual use, and the high degree of hand protection combined with the lethality of the charging thrust and the considerable reach of the blade makes for one heck of a combo. This pattern also saw use by the famous Australian Light Horse.

So what are your favorites? :D
 
I'm kind of partial to this one, since it was my first "real" sword.
attachment.php

I also have a very similar hand and a half - with a cold blued blade and brass furniture that I won in a tournament.
 
There was a thread last summer

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/732348-I-m-bored-how-bout-some-more-sword-pics...

I'd be hard pressed to sharing which is a favorite, as I adopt them because I care for them. I am still kind of favoring spadroons. An overall haphazard gallery here and not exactly well categorized of annotated. I have been spending time with the plainer of the Maximilian sabres shown in that gallery. Other recent additions have been some 1830s-1850s Ames stuff. Poke around in there if you like and link a specific if there are questions about a specific.

http://my.opera.com/3sails/albums/



The cover of the Blackies folder is my hands down favorite spadroon for handling. A sharp dandy that one.

spd20.jpg


Svelt and deadly feeling. It had come with a sibling sabre.

sbr4.jpg


problqe.jpg


A century of spadroons
http://files.myopera.com/3sails/albums/845886/spdrn10.jpg

Then, compare a few typical spadroons with a 1913 Patton (reproduction) and a French 1854 officer's dragoon sword.
http://files.myopera.com/3sails/albums/845886/ltstrght.jpg

Cheers

GC

I have a penchant for one of each cut or thrust

Bergerpr.jpg


Eagle pommels a bit of a study and I collect some of those as well.

Eagles11%20005.jpg

Eagles11%20011.jpg


PS

I am looking for a bone or ivory gripped decorated Osborn spadroon and a ebony or horn Bolton sabre without blade decoration to round out those three as pairs.
 
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There was a thread last summer

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/732348-I-m-bored-how-bout-some-more-sword-pics...

Eagle pommels a bit of a study and I collect some of those as well.

Eagles11%20005.jpg

Eagles11%20011.jpg


PS

I am looking for a bone or ivory gripped decorated Osborn spadroon and a ebony or horn Bolton sabre without blade decoration to round out those three as pairs.

Ah, but this thread is intended for favorite pieces, whether by pattern or by specific example. You don't have to own them, just explain why you like the ones you choose. ;):thumbup:

I like spadroons, too, though I don't own any. I DO have a sabre very similar to the one in the middle of the eagle-head picture, though mine has a pillow pommel, simple handle, and a pierced side guard.
 
Ah, but this thread is intended for favorite pieces, whether by pattern or by specific example. You don't have to own them, just explain why you like the ones you choose.

The thing is that favorites tend be ones I collect, making those a pretty diverse group overall. A wish list or watch list for me is also pretty steady. Perhaps I favor 18th and 19th century swords more than the ancient, medieval or renaissance swords because I can more easily relate them to my own interests in history.

The pillow pommels go right in hand with the eagles. Is your blade one with a fuller to the back of the blade, broad central fuller or just a quite flat grind? I note your liking briquet and hotlink one from Chuck at A2A. I have admired and shopped there. That one a folded steel small sword blade, also of the 18th century. He has some interesting stuff up these days and I am surprised the gaucho knife has lingered there. The Khyber as well has kind of lingered. I like middle east stuff too and somewhat began my antiquing with a yataghan, Another example of late 18th, early 19th century. Another favorite form.

attachment.jpg


Cheers

GC
 
I was specifying the "favorite swords" thing as being a distinction from the thread you had linked to, and to clarify the purpose of this thread for other members--sorry if there was any confusion there! :D

My example has a DEEP fuller following along the spine of the blade, resembling that of the eagle-pommeled piece in the center of your photograph. The grip is of smooth tapered rectangular form, and appears to be made of cherry or some similar wood. The shape of the knuckle bow likewise follows the lines of your piece, except for having the pierced side plate (the design of which looks like an arch over a 0)

And that's a beautiful yataghan! I'm not normally a tremendous fan of them, but that one's quite nice! I'm big into Indo-Persian stuff. Here's a favorite of mine, with a khanda-style basket hilt.

ph-0.jpg
 
This is one of my favorites the Albion Gotland.


Scabbord is oak
Maille shirt ~ 40,000 stainless steel split rings


Feb06003.jpg
 
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