Temporary solution:
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I use my swords often so I want them within easy reach, without the risk of damaging them.
When the next two swords arrive I'll make another stand, probably in a similar style, since this one works unexpectedly well.

My other weapons just lie wherever I put them. That is, unless I expect visitors, in which case I hide the dangerous stuff.

Here's how part of my collection is being displayed for the next few weeks : as wall decoration for a production of "DEATHTRAP". The guns are replicas and on loan from a dealer. I also directed and designed the show.William

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I love how some of you guys use horizontal, wall-mounted coat racks. I may have to start doing that! Mine just reside on the wall in my room though there are a few that live in corners.

BTW, Alex, I love your pipe collection. :D Very cool!

Ted

Thanks!
Honestly my main rack:



Took maybe a day to design and build. The great thing about it is one can just replace the top board to acomodate a different spread, and making it child proof could be done with a simple table saw and plexi install in the front.

Just a couple on the wall in the office...nothing fancy.

Mine's a mess to be honest. I was completely put to shame by Patrick and William's symmetrical and elegant display. Though my favourite was Micha with the evil looking gorilla. I have a few about four swords on my study wall, which is 'my space', the rest is taken up by bookshelves, prints and fencing gear. Outside that room it's a free-for-all - nihonto in the wardrobe, smallswords under the bed, sabres in the gas and electricity metre cupboard. Put to shame as I say.

I do feel a bit sorry for those who's better-halves don't approve of the look. That could make things fundamentally difficult, as it is never a good idea to disagree with your wife . I am fortunate in that my wife finds fencing, historical interest in the items and the collection of antique swords entirely acceptable - and is quite happy to show pieces I've acquired to friends when they come round without me doing anything. But then she is from a very old samurai family and her granddad has about 7 family nihonto (four koto , 3 shinto) in his study so maybe she grew up with the hobby. Her best friend is even more accustomed - a pretty much direct descendant of Takeda Shingen (interesting story about that family for the Japanese history enthusiasts- when there was the famous advice that the Takeda clan should not venture beyond their own Han territory, whether it was made by Takeda Shingen in prophetic prediction of Katsuyori's defeat or made in hind sight is unsure, but the family took it a bit too literally. My wife's best friend and her sister were the first generation in 350 years of the family to be born from a marriage not between first, second or removed cousins. Their father married a complete outsider. An example of excessive obedience to tradition ! And it shows, lovely as they both are they have the longest fingers and toes you've ever seen and very small heads - they make jokes about it themselves and say ' family tradition - small genetic pool'.) But back to the point their family has an entire Japanese antique arsenal scattered about the family, so I guess it depends on the individual lady and what they grew up with.

On safety, totally agree. We don't have kids yet but when we do I'll have to reconsider leaving these things around.

Daniel

I use 6 of the Japanese floor displays that hold 16 swords each and one of the fan type floor displays. I also have a few hanging on the wall. The Japanese displays work great for the European swords as well.

I bought two "iron" decorative plate displays. I mounted them vertically on my wall and slide my swords in. Cheap and it looks great.

I'll try to post pics after work.