[Regia-NA] Migration period sword on e-bay

[Kim Siddorn]

I asked about provenance (full text of my question and opinion at the
bottom).  I had a response inside five minutes which I pass on verbatim.
Sounds to me like a decent sort of a chap!

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hi Kim

Nice to hear from you - I know quite a few other re-enactors in your group
Regia! But prefer 15th Century WotR myself :-)

As for the provenance, this piece came from a German Dealer at the London
Coin Fair around five years ago. Excavated from Germany or Eastern Europe
somewhere. When I bought it, it was caked in rust and the original pommel
and cross were a mess. I took the sword to our conservator who lightly
cleaned the worst of the deposits and then siliconed the blade.  I also took
the liberty to have a cross and pommel made for it, so it at least looks
like a sword not just a blade. As for the original fittings these were far
too shot to be conserved.

I in no way feel that this blade is a few hundred years old, a thousand yes,
so a Crusader blade could be more adequate - I would be able to sell it for
far more as a Crusader sword than  a Saxon Migration sword. But as this is
the second time it has been listed, I will be selling it for whatever it
finally reaches unless it is a NPB again

I hope this helps?

Regards

Adam

(aka. Sir Walter Devereux 6th Lord Ferrers - Sunne in Splendore 1471)
(aka. William Parr - Company of Chivalry 1370)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi,


E-bay item 377069635



A number of my friends and I were discussing this blade on our e-group and I
've been asked to discover what provenance you can offer for it other than
"London Sales Room".



Straight off the bat, I stress that this is just my opinion, nothing more.

 I'd take a lot of convincing that this is, indeed, a Migration Period
sword.
The rust isn't pitted or flaky or dark enough. There are no traces of a
scabbard. The blade is lozenge shaped and has no fuller - not conclusive, I
agree, but enough to give one pause, I think. There are other things, but
that'll do!

The very fact that it has been fitted with re-enactment-style copies of an
extant
pommel & crossguard makes me even more suspicious.

In my opinion, it is what used to be called a "Crusader Blade". They were
made in large numbers in Ethiopia and other African  & Asian countries and
were imported in their thousands as spoils of  British Empire wars and by
people returning from The Grand Tour. In my judgement, this sword blade may
possibly be 100-200 years old, but I am certainly open to persuasion.

 Regards,

Kim Siddorn