If you like swords (and who doesn't), you're going to love these pictures:

Go to: http://moteur.musenor.com/application/moteur_...adres.aspx
Type "Epée" in the second field and click "Ajouter" next to it.
35 hits should show up at the bottom. Then click "Afficher Les Oeuvres" next to that.

34 sword thumbnails should show up from the Musée de l'Hôtel Sandelin in Saint-Omer
Click on "Voir la fiche de l'oeuvre" to get details on each one.

Quite a collection! There's something here for everyone, from late Viking Age to 19th century. For my taste, highlights are:

A magnificant XIIIb with odd G/R hybrid pommel: http://moteur.musenor.com/application/moteur_...vre=394758

A lovely Ingelri sword with B1 pommel, similar to Oakeshott's famous sword in Glasgow: http://moteur.musenor.com/application/moteur_...vre=394759

A double fuller XIV similar to XIV.3 in 'Records': http://moteur.musenor.com/application/moteur_...vre=394765

None of these pieces were familiar to me, except the XIIIB which was part of the recent Cluny exhibit.

Has anyone out there had the fortune to visit this museum in Saint-Omer?

Awesome! That B.1 is soooooo cool. I'm not sure I've sen a B.1 paired with such a thin type 1. Makes for a great match in my opinion! Could be an interesting reproduction for someone who likes that sort of sword... ;)

Some really interesting swords there. This one looks like a XVI but has a very broad fuller: http://moteur.musenor.com/application/moteur_...vre=394768

And just look at the pommel on this thing! Reminds me very much of the various type XIIIs, as well as the Castilion-inspired XVIII, that Michael Pikula made, which were the first time I'd seen such large disk pommels: http://moteur.musenor.com/application/moteur_...vre=394764

Some of these swords, and others from this museum were displayed during the latest exhibition at the Cluny in Paris.

A lot of them have been cleaned/restored in the late XXth/early XXIst century, and I don't know to what extent. And as always, there are a few dubious details here and ther : the extra wide cross, for isntance, on one of the swords linked above seems a bit out of place to me.

Remember most of them were also 'found' or 'acrquired' in the XIXth century, and at that time people would seldom hesitate to mutilate/reassambnle/arrange things to their likings.

Still, I'm planning to spend some time in St Omer some day.

Cheers

Fab

Thanks for the link, JD, it's a really good collection despite the odd reservation. I too discovered it by chance when touring north France some years ago and can recommend a visit for anyone.
Neil