Had a visit to the Frazier Historical Museum in Louisville this weekend and took a few shots. Thought I would share.
First armor, arrow heads, maile and daggers

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Second - swords

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thanks Gordon. can you tell us some about the museum? like the size? how big is the exhibit? was it worth the trip with kids ehhe etc?

It is 3 floors - nice place. Top floor is a semi permanent traveling exibition from the British Royal Armories in Leeds. A few harnesses, maybe a dozen sords, a few daggers, etc. Also some nice timeline stuff and an exibition area where they do martial arts and other "shows", sort of historical theater demos.

the rest of the museum was mostly guns - a very large number of winchesters, revolvers, etc from 1850-1900 mostly. Also some stuff from colonial period but not too much that I recall.

It was not a real kid pleaser, at least not for the under 10 crowd, my 11 year old liked it, esp the demos - but there is a science museum about a block away that the kids really loved, and lotsof other stuff in downtown Louiville. Worth the trip if you are in the area.

Gordon

I was just at the Frazier last January for their Historical Ball, and they let us have the run of the whole place. Gordon is right about the museum, and Louisville. I live about 10 miles from Downtown, so if you're planning a trip, get in touch and I can recommend plenty of things to see and do.

Chuck Russell wrote:

thanks Gordon. can you tell us some about the museum? like the size? how big is the exhibit? was it worth the trip with kids ehhe etc?

[ Linked Image ]
A Visitor's Experience: The Frazier Arms Museum
An article by Chad Arnow

Off topic but it looks like the fuller on one of those swords is squared off and terminates before hitting the guard. It doesn't seem to run all the way through the tang.

The German parrying dagger in the top post is one of the prettiest of its type I have ever seen. The fullers are very deep and defined in a delicate but effective looking blade. It was my favorite piece, I think.
The large sword is a Type XX, with multiple shallow fullers running the entire length of the blade. The blade is marked as 15th century, I think, but the hilt as maybe 19th.

Gordon

Did you happen to notice if any or most of the lances were fully authentic (not reproduction shafts) ?

More Frazier photos:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...ht=frazier

Thanks for the pics Gordon...any more information on that very nice little XVIII that reminds me of XVIII.6 in Records?
I love those broad hollow ground XVIII's
Thanks,
Dan

Thanks Chad, my first thought was that it was the same sword (especially since it might be on loan from the RA), and I was all set to ask Gordon if he knew if it was, but then I took a second look and I thought the quillons were slightly different and I couldn't positively see the substantial nick. Another look after your post though made me feel stupid as it appears that the records sword may have 2 slightly different quillon tips and that the pic that Gordon posted may simply be the other side of the sword. However, i still can't positively see the nick...some pics make it seem like it's there and others don't...what do you guys think.? Gordon...can i get some higher res pics of that sword?
Thanks.
Dan

Here is a scan of the hilt of XVIII.6, as well as the whole sword. It wouuld be the other side of the sword, but see how much different the cross is across the blade?

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Ok - I'll quit after this. Here they are side by side, for those without Records...

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I was able to zoom in on the writeup about the swords - not much info, but better than nothing...
Sword 3 (the XVIII) was a Castillon sword

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Now I need to plan a visit to the Frazier!
Thank you for posting pictures, Gordon.

I did get an opportunity to document that XVIII before it was shipped to the states. It is not the one published in "Records".
A very fine sword and quite well preserved. There are some troublesome pressure marks from what looks like the cross hatched jaws of a modern vice on the tang, as well as possibly some modern grind marks (?). Could not say 100% sure. Maybe a dealer did some "improvements" on it, or took it apart for cleaning? It did not come across as a fake at all, however. A very fine and genuine sword. Just possibly something had been done to it during restoration.

A rather hefty one, as most of this type seems to be. Short and powerful, but because of short blade length and narrow point, they are still quick and agile.
Both blade and guard are *very* nicely done. The little "acorn" extension is skillfully shaped. Very tight fit between blade and guard. Small chisel marks in the guard on the tang side to make it sit even more tightly.

The recess in the pommel has some traces of something powdery and red. I got the impression it was sealing wax. Perhaps these swords had a few drops of sealing wax with an imprint of the seal of the commander who commissioned them, or who had them commissioned to himself. They are thought to be military issue swords, after all. An alternative to having an enameled personal shield set into the pommel (in those cases when the sword was more of a personal property perhaps).

I had hopes to be able to document the type XVI with very discreetly S-curved guard at some later visit to the Royal Armouries, but now it seems I have to travel to the States to see it. Being European, it makes me feel robbed, somehow... ;) That is a very nice sword: it would have been interesting to learn from it.