Albion Armorers Viceroy/Regent Hybrid
Original: Circa mid-15th century
This sword was an experiment by the craftspeople at Albion Armorers. It is their
Viceroy sword combined with the pommel of their
Regent sword. Albion has stated that this was a one-time creation and that they will not make another.
The sword is amazingly beautiful to see. The hexagonal cross-sectioned guard is well defined with decorative incised lines near the clubbed ends. The sharp écusson is grooved in a way that compliments the styling of the triple-fullered ricasso. The pommel is an
Oakeshott Type V, often referred to as a fishtail pommel, and is sculpted to match the ornate stone carvings of gothic architecture.
The Oakeshott
Type XXa blade is massive, and really gives this piece a feeling of both elegance and untamed authority at the same time. It struck me as being the type of weapon that could have been depicted in the type of angelic paintings so common in the early Renaissance, as it truly symbolizes extreme grace and fearful power together as one. This blade style is rarely reproduced on the modern market and Albion has done a wonderful job in recreating it.
The sword is not a light one at all, but rather gives the wielder a sense of security and empowerment when striking or defending. It is not a weapon that will easily be set aside, but the balance is excellent and makes it very precise in its cuts. For such a large weapon, it also has proven to be a remarkable cutter against test targets due to its combined mass with fine edge geometry.
It would be easy to give all the attention to the sword alone at first glance, but equally impressive is the often-overlooked scabbard and belt suspension created by John Gage and Kevin Iseli of
Extreme Blade Art. The scabbard fits very tightly, and is gracefully shaped around the blade so as to show off the profile without being in the least bit bulky. The hand-made metal fittings are expertly crafted, and the belt fits and hangs better than any other of its style that I’ve worn. The dyes used came out beautifully and I can’t recommend their work enough. My only fear is that now I might be too spoiled to go back to any lesser scabbards.
Overall length: 46.5"
Weight: 3.56 pounds
Width of guard: 8.75"
Blade: 35.25" long; 2.125" wide tapering to .625"
Grip length: 7.5"
Point of Balance (PoB): 4.25" from guard
Center of Percussion (CoP): ~20.75" from guard
Maker:
Albion Armorers of Wisconsin.
This item has been retired from the collection.
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