[J Anstey]

Hi there,

I have read through most of the display threads here and know that couple of people at least have the Albion Conan Swords.

Last week I received my Father's Master Sword that I ordered prior to the end of the license at Albion. The Atlantean should be a month or so away!

Man o man, when that big white box arrived at my office I quickly secreted the sword and shut my door. Upon opening the box there as only one word that involuntarily came out of my mouth (can't repeat here), followed my a bit of a chuckle.

Was a wonderfully ridiculous, useless and expensive toy to buy!!! Fantastic, my brief moments of post purchase regret were immediately replaced with sheer joy of this new toy that I haven't experienced since I was a child - I turn 40 this year LOL.

I invited one of my JSA fellow instructors and very good friend around for dinner the day after I received the parcel. I sheepishly brought out the box to show him my extravagant new toy - upon the unveiling - he could only manage the same word that I said upon the first viewing.

After numerous beers followed by red wine, out came the sword again and it continued to be passed between us like children - my wife just rolled her eyes while we carried on like pork-chops. Unfortunately I had a hard MA training session the following day and struggled a bit with fatigue - go figure? Holding a 7.5 pound sword in one hand and a beer in the other - ahhhh the joys.

ANYWAY! enough of my gibberish, I want to hang the two swords probably vertically in a particular place I have in mind - can anyone recommend and sword hanging/displaying hardware that will look good in a lounge-room. I don't want to make a feature out of any backing board.

Cheers

Jason

[Brad Harada]

Congratulations on your recent acquisition! Ah, the joys of a new sword! For a nearly invisible display option, may I recommend a small picture hanger (the kind secured to the wall with a small wire brad) and a length of 20lb test fishing line? Depending on the placement of the fishing line (as unobtrusively as possible), the hanger can remain hidden by the hilt/grip elements. What you'll wind up with is a display in which the sword seems to "float" on the wall. Hope this helps!

[Allen Andrews]

Another forum member had mentioned a particular type of hanger in the past. I have bought a number of these now and I find them to be an inexpensive, unobtrusive method to hang a sword.

This is the type:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SWORD-HANGERS-new-display...dZViewItem

[Dan Dickinson]

I second the recommendation that Allen gave.....the hooks are very unobtrusive and work very well.
However, they probably wouldn't work very well with the Atlantean's bronze ricasso extensions.
Dan

[Alex Oster]

Well, I have too much conan stuff, so I can only show you what I have done...

Velvet lining for the Albion boxes.
Hardwood frame+glass for the doors/lids.
Brass hardware. (Highly recommend piano hinges: tried regular for the first one and it sucked comparativly)
Conan pinbacks for labels/title plaques.

This will give you a more secure way of transporting them, storing them, and protecting them from both "visiting" fingers and "little" fingers. This should help you in the your situation of a significant other being around; they are safe from kid's and more art-like in their framed case than a percivably dangerous open-air wall of hanging death.
But really, its better for the swords to be covered than to let moisture, dust, and finger prints to sneak on to them.





More pictures here: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y201/Osterberg/conan/

[Alex Oster]

Sorry forgot to incliude a shot of the pins/lables:

[Shamsi Modarai]

I am officially jealous of your Conan collection/display.

[Gary A. Chelette]

I have made wood displays for my swords that is minimalistic and functional.


The sword hanger Allen talks about is ok for normal swords, but too small for the Conan type swords.

I'd look at the displays mentioned here in the forums to get a good idea.

[David Martin]

Alex, that is the most amazing collection of Conan artifacts I have ever seen. Your sword display boxes are excellent, being both beautiful and practical.

Kudos on your collection and the display thereof! Add me to the long list of those who can only gaze in awe...

[Jared Smith]

I love Alex's wood show cases. I think the combination of monetary and nostalgic value of the pieces fully justify it. Something about being behind glass with a background fabric to contrast with the colors of polished steel and brass seems appropriate for the high end sword with lots of ornamental touches.

I appreciate the minimalist approach too, when a piece is designed to be functional with only subtle ornamentation. The Conan series are not subtle.

[J Anstey]

Thanks for all of the great responses.

I think I will need to ponder this some more, the display cases are wonderful and certainly very functional but I think might be too overwhelming in the smallish room.

I do want them to be easy to get down from the wall, as I know when friends visit they are certainly going to want to "have a go" LOL.

Cheers

Jason

[Shamsi Modarai]

Let us know what you decide.....with some pics please.

[J. D. Carter]

I think they would look fantastic in the large bare area of the west wall just off my right shoulder. Think it over

Like the Lady above said, pictures please. This place is my virtual museum tour.


@ Mr. Oster. What is the weight of that ginormous mallet ?

[Alex Oster]

My cases have simple hook catches of brass, so taking the swords out is easy. i did keep the Albion leather ties on the hilt ends so as to keep them secure while moving them. If I knew they would be in one place for a while, i could easily take the secureing leather straps out/off, and thereby making them super accessable.

On the Hammer.... dunno acctually. i don't think I have weighed it. I can say that its manageable for me, but not for anyone else who has hefted it. Then again the 8# Atlantean is only a little awkwards too. I guess I'd put it at maybe 20#-25#? Just not sure...

[J Anstey]

ideally I would like to get this type of hardware, minus the backing board, I saw this on the Albion site.

Any ideas?

[Alex Oster]

CAS Iberia used to sell them. The hangers came in two sizes. I think they had a cost of about $5, yet I don't see them on the casi site now. I have a bunch of them. They work well really.

[Alex Oster]

Just hit me that they might not actually work well with these two swords. It would be metal on bronze, so you will have a chance of wear marks and scratches. Also, they have a small screw that holds them in the wall, so you would have to find a way to reenforce them. If you didn't, they weight of the Conan swords would tear them out of the wall before too long (I had a large axe that ended up doing it to one set i had).

If you are set on having them open air hanging on a bare wall.... CASI has these:

http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=OH2377

http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=OH2378
They are plastic coated and look like they can bear the weight and use better.

I first started hanging my blades bare on the wall, but then moved to wood backs (plaques), and eventually to a whole display rack. As you collect and move around, you will find that any one way doesn't work best. You just have to find what works for you, your place, and the individual sword. You can see more of my display attempts Here.

but, to each their own... Swords of Honor has the ones you posted here
And another place Here.
but do consider the massivness of these swords both in size and weight.

One last thought: Marto makes a frigging awesome looking sword mount, but it runs almost $250.

http://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/Conan.html

[J Anstey]

Thanks Alex!!! - Much appreciated.

Cheers

Jason