This isn't so much a question about quality, but accuracy.

According the CAS site, the Hanwei baskethilts are based on pieces from Royal Armouries in England. I was wondering if anyone would happen to have any pictures of the basket the Hanwei Backsword Baskethilt is based on. I've never seen a similair hilt myself, and was wondering how accurate the Hanwei replica is, and just what the hilt really looks like.

Dear Thomas,

I recall someone finding the original and the Hanwei replica is fairly close (not perfect, but what do you expect at an entry level price?). However, read my comments on the mortuary sword thread. I bought a bunch of these for my school and they all broke due to historically inaccurate, shoddy construction, and what looked like bodgy steel.

Cheers
Stephen

I don't have them scanned, but I do have a couple pics of the original of the backsword. One is in Mazansky's British Basket-Hilted Swords and another in a book the name of which escapes me. The Hanwei looks like a fairly close copy of the original, if not exact in every way. The original is different in that the blade is marked Me Fecit Hounslow, indicating it's origins in the English blade-making center of Hounslow (this sword is English, not Scottish, no matter what various vendors want to tell you).

Maybe someone will come along with a scanned pic....

English Horseman's Sword
About 1700, hilt of pierced and chiselled iron, the blade inscribed: ME FECIT HOUNSLOE
M.4-1956. Victoria and Albert Museum
Photo: The Spring 2004 London Park Lane Arms Fair, Article entitled: "Hounslow Hangers" by Anthony North.

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Two from "British Basket-Hilted Swords", by Cyril Mazansky (2005), page 146.

Mac

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So, there are three very similar baskethilts, one has Hounslow blade, what about the others? Are all made by the same workshop or did the style get copied by other makers?