I guess I'm honored something of mine made the lust list. :)

This a tough question for me to answer. Most of the time, I look at other people's items and think "wow, that's neat" and move on with life, knowing I can't afford it and/or it doesn't fit my collecting goals.

I do like 2 of Nathan's basket-hilts:

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And his fancy katzbalger:

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Vince Evans' Kelvingrove dirks have always been a favorite, too.

But these aren't necessarily "must-haves" for me. Just things I find cool. :)

Most of my "dream swords" have already been mentioned, and even pictured, in this thread.
And so, to save bandwidth, I'll just mentioned them by name:
1. The Patrick Barta Sutton Hoo sword.
2. Patrick Barta's Fetter Lane sword interpretation.
3. The Vince Evans "Diamond" hilt backsword, formerly in the Thomas MacDonald collection.
4. Those Vince Evans Viking swords.
5. The EB Erickson Stirling hilt back sword in Nathan's collection that Chad also really likes. :D

And there are others, I'm sure. But that's my "most-lusted-after" short list....

I'm gonna go with the "Sword of Autumn", a collaboration between Antonio Cejunior, Rick Barrett and Kendall Chow and once owned by Kendall Chow. Forged of 50% 1995 steel and 50% meteorite iron and inspired by bronze jian of the Chinese Spring and Autumn Period. A beautiful piece.

This sword by Peter Johnsson. I don't know who owns it, but I envy him.

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I would have to put in a vote for Mr. Bell's Iron Age Celtic long sword, reviewed here:

http://www.myArmoury.com/review_tmpl_celt.html

... which is curious, given that I really focus more on the Migration Era/ Viking Age. But really good reproductions of this sort of thing are uncommon, let alone with this detail of construction.

Though, really, virtually any of the above in this thread would be candidates, even the ones I would ordinarily not have much interest in. My tastes are expansive, covering literally many items from the Middle Bronze Age up to about the first half of the 16th century. That said, a number of things fall outside of this; for example, many of Nathan's collection are really not my bag, but I'd not turn my nose up at them either. The craftsmanship is literally top notch - I occasionally rehilt swords, to include inlay work, and I can appreciate the amount of effort that goes into any one of these, and would give such an honored place in my collection, did it but cross my path...

Well, my knee-jerk reaction whenever I think of this would be Paul Mortimer's Sutton Hoo Sword (I'd like to see Barta's work up close sometime). This is certainly the "if I won the lottery" sword, followed closely by other Barta viking and migration age swords, several Vince Evans' (primarily viking and scottish) and Peter Johnson's pieces scattered about. I would definitely like to try the Albion Svante, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to put it down. By the way, I've given the VE Diamond baskethilt a very good home, and yes it is a beauty! :cool:

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VInce Evans Claidheamh dà Làimh of Thomas McDonald's collection (the big one in the center). I wouldn't turn away the one on the bottom either...

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I second the vote on this Peter Johnson sword, parts unknown.

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Svante, owned by several members, me not being one of them...

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Paul Mortimer's Sutton Hoo Sword.

You just had to ask this kind of question, don't you, Nathan? In fact, one of the things I covet the most is your PMC floral side-sword:

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and your E. B. Erickson Germanic basket hilt:

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I'm even tempted to ask your permission to commission swords on those models once I've saved enough money for them.

Very nice...I seem to be having problems linking images ATM, though.

M.

On my list also are Patrick's Big Johnsson, Jean's RavenWolf and that awesome XVIIIc of Peter Johnsson's. In addition I would add:

The Chieftain by Rick Barrett


Longclaw also by Rick Barrett


Last but not least John Lundemo's "Conan" sword

There's some stunning works pictured here...I need to throw this one in also by Rick Barrett

Daeris
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I'm in love with an axe! Patrick, I covet your Saxon Huscarl axe!

Nathan's EBE katzbalger (at least until my own EBE katzbalger arrives....Nah, I'll still want his, too!) and his Albion Machiavelli, soon to be owned by another.

Anybody's Svante.
Anybody's Soldat.

I was reminded of this topic recently and though the idea of "coveting thy neighbor's toys" might be a bit distasteful to some, I wanted to revisit this topic to encourage others to share more of their own stories.

As to my own coveting, I've had quite a bit of unexpected changes relating to it! I've been blessed to have opportunities involving trades and sales that have resulted in me converting some of the coveted toys of others into them being my own toys! Imagine that.

Some notes relating to my original list are these:

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Phoenix Metal Creations Pappenheimer Sword
This is now in my own home! Thank you, Bill Grandy.


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Arma Bohemia Rondel Dagger
This is now in my own home! Thank you, Joe Fults.


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Custom Danish Two-Hander from Arms & Armor
This still lives with Søren Niedziella, but I own an Albion Dane which is of a similar form:
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JT Palikko Swiss Saber
This is still owned by Søren Niedziella, but I own a custom A&A sword of similar form:
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These are some swords I've been coveting for a while now.

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Peter Johnsson's latest

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An antique Pappenheimer in a Peter Finer auction

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A Patrick Barta replica of the Gilling West sword [ Download ]

That Phoenix Bastard is killing me. Why are doing this to me?

I had no idea about these, and I thank you for the exposure (and simultaneously curse you). The baskets are unreal. How can a man do that with a piece of metal?

The opriginal of the Germanic basket hilt in Nathan's collection resides in the Museum of Border Arms and Armor in Teviotdale, UK. The only picture I know of that's generally accessable is in the Osprey #279 "The Border Reivers."

am I completely weird for not really lusting after all these gorgeous peices, but instead wishing I just had the equipment used to make them?

what I'd give for a custom-built 4-inch belt linisher which can be moved around for hollowgrinding and flat depending on where you set up the platen table... or for the opportunity to scarbble through all the tooling scribes and punches used on peter jonnson's patterned hilt leathers, and see what was used etc, etc.

owning the truly incredible, beautiful items is'nt nearly as enjoyable as learning the skills to do such workmanship, after all, in my books.

I am in love with two swords.

The first is an Antonio Cejunior/Paolo Abrera project, The Black Saber:
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The second is this Parang Nabur from Indonesia: