Patrick has poste some details of the making of his latest masterpiece:


http://www.templ.net/making_of_weapons/blucina_sword.php



Paul

That is an unbelievable piece of workmanship. I wish I could afford one of his pieces.

I am surprised that the illustrations show this sword being word on the bearer's right side. It is rare to find a sword actually worn in a burial as it would have been in real life, but this find looks as if the dead man's possessions were displayed just as he would have carried them. So apparently we have a left-handed gentleman.

If the burial was as complete as the drawings imply, this find looks to be worth reading more about. Heres' the only additional information I could quickly locate on the web:

"The low mound in Blucina contained the skeleton of a chieftain at 30-40 years from 450-485 AD with a spatha, a sax, a bow, a shield and precious horsequipment including a saddle. At the shoulder he wore a "buegelfibula" - generally accepted as a sign of high military rank in the Roman army according to Tejral (Hunnen, Germanen und Awaren). A part of the equipment wear cloisonne similar to the Merovingian Childeric-tomb (482 AD) and the later Sutton Hoo. A similar buckle in Gudme is by the Danish National Museum used as an example of the connection between Denmark and the Franks though the cloisonne appears nearly identical to the buckle in Blucina possibly being burried before the Merovingian Empire was established. In Jaroslav Tejral's article "Archaeologisher Beitrag zur Kenntnis der voelkerwanderungszeitlichen Ethnostrukturen noerdlich der Donau", chapter II,2 in Friesinger/Daim's "Typen der Ethnogese unter besonderer berücksichtung der Bayern", Vol 2, 1990, the chieftain in Blucina is regarded as Herulian and connected to Procopius, Ottars Mound, the Uppsala Mounds and Zhuran Hill. He mentions that the top of the golden handle of the spatha appear to be a type known as Scandinavian. Other scholars call the burial Herulian or at least Eastgermanic in the literature (Windl, Neuerer beiträge..., 1997, Karel Tihelka, Parmatky Arch. 54, 1963 and HOOPS, Reallexicon zum Germ. Alt.kunde.)). According to Birgit Arrhenius (Merovingian Garnet Juvellery) the cloisonne of that time were Byzantian modules used in local workshops – not Frankish or Alemannic craft as often referred to in Scandinavia."
http://www.gedevasen.dk/heruleng.html

With the pictures of what the cheiftan was wearing and such it reminds me of the stuff they do on meet the ancestors (a BBC show). The even forged a blade in one episode....Patrick is beyond amazing with his swords, unfortunately i doubt i'll ever be able to own one of his pieces. Maybe later on, cause the Sutton Hoo sword he made actually was cheaper then the prices Kevin Cashen puts on his blades, which was actually quite shocking.

Beautiful sword there...the multi-billet core pattern welded migration swords are just spectactular!

What a beautiful piece of art. Beyond that, I am speechless....

I consider Patrick Bárta's stuff to be surprisingly affordable.

As a historical reproduction I can appreciate the craft level though the shape, size, and overall aesthetic of the grip is not to my taste. That being said Barta's stuff just amazes me everytime I see it.

My order with Patrick is still about a year and a half away. I had intended to set money aside every month in savings but so far things keep getting in the way. At this point I don't care. If I have to clear out half of my production stuff to get it, it's going to be a pattern-welded migration sword for me!

Don't worry Patrick, I too had intended to save for my sword from Mr Barta-- I had two years to do it. However, life gets in the way of most of my plans and when the sword was ready I hadn't saved anything. I still bought it and don't regret it -- I have just had to economise on a few other things.
My second sword should be ready next year and the savings still don't seem to be accumulating.

What a man's got to do.............................


Paul

I agree with Nathan that Patrick Bartà's swords are surprinsingly affordable, especially for an european like me. When I buy from the USA I have to add high shipping costs and 20 percent for customs duty and VAT.
One can always discuss about matter of taste on a custom item, but for me Patrick's work is one of the more accurate historically besides it's aesthetic qualities. (Hope my english don't betray what I have in mind)
I ordered from him (a viking sword) and have to wait still some one and a half year for this dream becoming true...

Jean

Well Jean has a Barta Viking on the way and Patrick and Paul have Migration Era Swords... Mine will be somewhere inbetween. ;)

ks

Hi Kirk, what do you mean exactly ? or is it a secret ?
Jean

"It's really your fault Paul. Your sword made my decided that I had to have one."

Don't tell your wife who is to blame!


Paul