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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 2:01 pm    Post subject: 10th Century Viking Sword from the British Museum         Quote

Here are photos I took at the British Museum a year ago. The description is from the display card.

Viking Sword
Viking, 10th Century AD
From Lough Gur, Co. Limerick, Ireland


This sword is small by Viking standards, but is similar to native Irish weapons. The pattern on the blade shows it is Ottonian, with Viking hilt fittings added.

MME 1864,1-27,3



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10th Century Viking Sword

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10th Century Viking Sword

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10th Century Viking Sword

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Matt Phillips




Location: England
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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 2:17 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Outstanding stuff, Nathan. I've always been a fan of that hilt style. Thanks so much for the pics!
Matt

"Mine honour is my life; both grow in one; take honour from me and my life is done." William Shakespear
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Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom




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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 2:23 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Nice to see some color photo's of that sword, i have only the paperback version of the book Swords of the Viking age :)
Thanks Nathan!

Frid o Fröjd!
Patrik
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Jeremy V. Krause




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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 3:04 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Thanks Nathan!

That's an excellent picture of the iron inlay and gives, I think, a fair picture of the appearance of iron inlay on a polished sword. Verey nice!

Jeremy
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Dan Dickinson
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Location: Michigan
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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 3:49 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Some stats from Swords of the Viking Age
Overall length: 76.3 cm (30 in) Blade length: 66.6 cm (26.2 in)
Length of cross: 7.7 cm ( 3.03 in) Length of grip: 6.8 cm (2.67 in)
Balance point: 14.6 cm (5.75 in)

It also appears that Ollin Sword Design makes a sword with a very similar hilt, Peterson type Q, but that is much scaled up.
http://www.ollinsworddesign.com/osd-custom-qg5.html


After a bit of hunting I found this thread
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=6755&highlight=
which confirms that the Ollin sword was based on this find.


Edited to add another link


Last edited by Dan Dickinson on Fri 25 Aug, 2006 4:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Thomas McDonald
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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 3:55 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Excellent shots, Chief .... nice work !

I know, ".....and don't call me Chief " ;-) Mac

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William M




Location: Buckinghamshire , England
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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 4:12 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Nice shot, here is mine along along with a strange warhammer that caught my eye.





Regards,

Will
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Sat 26 Aug, 2006 1:03 pm    Post subject:         Quote

I have split off the posts regarding the two-handed poleaxe to their own topic because this topic about a 10th century Viking Sword.
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William M




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PostPosted: Sat 26 Aug, 2006 1:40 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Nathan Robinson wrote:
I have split off the posts regarding the two-handed poleaxe to their own topic because this topic about a 10th century Viking Sword.


Sorry about that Nathan. Right back on topic in regards to the viking sword, I have never seen one with so much taper. Is this unusual or have I simply not seen enough viking swords?

Will
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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Sat 26 Aug, 2006 2:38 pm    Post subject:         Quote

William M wrote:
Sorry about that Nathan. Right back on topic in regards to the viking sword, I have never seen one with so much taper. Is this unusual or have I simply not seen enough viking swords?

Will


Some Viking swords did taper more than others. At least some of the taper on this one looks like decomposition/wear. If you look at the top edge, you'll see that the distance from fuller to edge changes toward the tip. It looks like the edge has either rotted away or been honed away at least a little to create the illusion of more taper.

:)

ChadA

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Tim Lison




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PostPosted: Sat 26 Aug, 2006 11:49 pm    Post subject:         Quote

This sword has always been one of my favorites. I was the customer for OlliN Swords reproduction of it. It's called the Lough Gur sword. The fittings seem like they would be very uncomfortable, but it actually feels pretty sweet with the handshake grip. I'm posting pics of the repro, no inlay on it and it was scaled up to fit an adult's hand.
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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Sun 27 Aug, 2006 3:51 am    Post subject:         Quote

Tim;

Yes that was the first thing I was thinking when Nathan posted the museum pic.

I remember seeing your sword and liking it a great deal: I'm seriously considering some custom project with OlliN when my current projects are finished. Not sure what yet ?

This type of grip pommel sort of forces you to use the handshake grip and the T shape should lock the sword in the hand even with a looser relaxed grip: A relaxed grip being a good thing for cutting as long as one doesn't loose the sword.

I would think that this IS the design intent.

A long time ago I made a handle for an "antenna " type sword using an old bayonet when I was reading up on bronze age swords and discovered then the usefulness of this pommel type. ( Even wider with the "antenna " style. )

I certainly ruined a perfectly good bayonet :blush: But this was around 1970 and you could get these bayonets for $20.
I don't even want to know what the value would be today and hope I didn't destroy something rare ! I wouldn't want to use one of these for a D.I.Y. now that I know better.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Matthew Grzybowski
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Location: Madison, WI
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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2006 3:59 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Jean Thibodeau wrote:

I remember seeing your sword and liking it a great deal: I'm seriously considering some custom project with OlliN when my current projects are finished. Not sure what yet ?


Thank you very much, Jean!

Best,

Matt

OlliN Sword Design
Handmade collectible arms, custom swords, and sculpture
www.ollinsworddesign.com


Last edited by Matthew Grzybowski on Mon 28 Aug, 2006 6:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Matthew Grzybowski
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Location: Madison, WI
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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2006 4:11 pm    Post subject:         Quote

..

Last edited by Matthew Grzybowski on Mon 28 Aug, 2006 6:40 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2006 5:14 pm    Post subject:         Quote

( Edited / deleted as it was too off topic. )
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!


Last edited by Jean Thibodeau on Wed 30 Aug, 2006 7:40 am; edited 2 times in total
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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2006 5:17 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Keep it on topic, folks.

Discussing custom projects is best handled privately anyway.

:)

ChadA

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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2006 5:24 pm    Post subject:         Quote

Sorry, will continue through P.M. & e-mail. :blush:
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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