Another visit to the Wallace today.

I don't have time to organize this post with references and items numbers, but I will edit it later (not sure I remember how long you can wait before a post is locked). As I am about to grab an Hanwei side sword, I went there with the idea of getting as much graphical informations on grips, scabbards and ornements for these later sword usually out of my period of interest. I could have sworn I had started a similar post on the wallace a while ago as I did for other museums, but could not find it so I also added picts from my previous visit there.

Without further due,

A 536, probably the model for the hanwei side sword.










Scabbard details from A528









A 518

Julien,

I've just gone over my Wallace Collection catalogues and used your images to interpret the ones there ... wow! Swords that had seemed slightly 'meh' now have such a different feel to them. Such a good example of how one angle, in black and white, and of a whole item, just doesn't really tell much of the story.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again: your ability to capture so many details, from so many angles (and through glass!) is fantastic ... and highly valued here. You're a scholar and a gentleman, as they used to say.

This really makes me want to pick up one of the few remaining copies of Carlo's Wallace Collection book!

Cheers,
Mark T

Thanks for the pictures - I'd like to go to that museum also, but its a longer trip for me. Maybe the next time I'm in that part of the world.

Great shots, Julien! You've captured details of some of my favorite swords from the Wallace Collection.
I'll be in London next week and my first stop after I land will be the Wallace. Your pictures made me even more excited to go wandering around those glass cases again!

Thanks for your comments guys. I'm glad to contribute a bit to the website, as I gain much from it myself :)

As I have said before, getting those shots right in the Wallace is a real pain as you will see Zack! 85% of the pics ends up in the bin, thanks to the monumental windows that faces all the enclosures. Overall, it usually takes 2 hours to get as few as 25 decent shots. There is also little chance to get pictures of a complete sword from tip to peen...take two steps back and you are sure to met some glare on the glass.

Whenever I go I focus just on a few items now, and I take all my time to shot dozen of pictures from all angles and (often silly) positions, using my body to shield the light (being 6.3 and often dressed in black helps a bit !) you can also ask to have the curtain closed, but it does not do much difference).

Mark T wrote:

This really makes me want to pick up one of the few remaining copies of Carlo's

They have it in their shop and I should have a look at it again. I have his Churburg Armoury book, and it is mindblowing indeed, absolute A&A porn as they say...shame he focuses much on armour as there is very little on weapons in there.

I plan on going either to the Wallace, British museum, museum of london or V&A once a week from now to make good use of my lunchbreaks (and yes, entrance to all of these Museums is free!)...so there are plenty of more pictures to come. Again, if you are after something specific, shoot me a PM.

J

Another short cession at the Wallace today, as my camera battery died on me 20 minutes after getting there.

A634

A715

A714

Hi!

What about zweihander photos ? :)

Ah, you took pictures of A714, thanks for that, very cool! That weapon puzzles me and one day I will understand the reason someone wanted a sabre with a wavy saw blade... :p

Thanks for your pics Julien they're much appreciated!

I would love to see some (more) photos of early 16th century one-handed and one-and-a-half handed swords.

Hi Martin,

Sure. can you try to get the catalogue item ID of the swords you'd be interested in? Would make my life easier as there are plenty there.

Hi again Julien,

I would be very interested in pics of ballock dagger A732, already shown a bit here: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=122112

I'm mostly interested in pics showing the blade geometry... spine, edge, taper and all that, if you can manage it without too much hassle given the glass displays...

Thanks in advance!

A732 it is Simon. Also got A467 in my list. There is a high chance I'll go tomorrow (yeah, I'm that bored in the office lately :) ) so post your ID's here and I'll do my best to upload before the week end.

J

I'll be there in two hours with a dozen ID request. Last chance if you need something specific from the collection, I might not make it back to the Wallace before a while after this week.
J