[Chad Arnow]

Inspired by Nathan's post showing his collection, I decided to make an attempt of my own. I'm not half the photographer Nathan is on my best day, but I hope people enjoy the photos.

[Bennison N]

That's an awesome collection, Chad!

You seem to have a really good eye for quality and aesthetics when it comes to weapons. Your photography isn't so bad either.

Thanks for showing us, mate!

[Nathan Robinson]

Chad, as you know, I love these photos. I'm really glad you went and shot this and posted it. Very nice! What I like best is seeing getting a sense of proportion of each piece compared to the others. It's often really surprising seeing the scale of particular items.

For example, I love how the small size of the Arma Bohemia rondel dagger is really demonstrated. That's one of my favorite pieces and seeing it alongside the other pieces makes it even more so.

[Tim Lison]

Very nice! Your collection really spans the ages. I know how hard it can be to pick a favorite and how it can change over time, but do you have a favorite piece?

[Jessen Klaus]

Thats a wery impressive collection.
especially I like your daggers !

And by the way some wery good photos.

[Lancelot Chan]

Nice photos too. Thanks for sharing your collection with us.

[Justin King]

Yours has the feel of a very "mature" collection, Chad. Not large perhaps but well chosen pieces, no riffraff. Your array of daggers shows a very good variety of styles, which is often overlooked (or overshadowed) in collections of medieval weaponry.

[Luka Borscak]

What is the sword with brass fittings and a cross on the pommel? I like it very much. I think I saw something similar on ArmArt site...

[Chad Arnow]

[Chad Arnow]

Here is what they are, using the top photo for reference. Starting at 12:00 and going clockwise:

Arms & Armor Iberian Mace (13th century, Spanish)
Albion Regent (15th century, German)
Tod's Stuff Rondel Dagger (14th Century, German)
Albion Sempach (14th Century, Swiss/German/Austrian/English)
Arms & Armor Crusader/Classis Dagger hybrid (14th century, English)
Albion Sovereign (14th century, English/French)
Arma Bohemia Sgian Achles (18th Century, Scottish)
Armour Class baskethilt (Late 17th Century, Scottish)
Tod's Stuff Scottish Dirk (18th Century, Scottish)
ArmArt customized S4 Knightly Sword (12th century-ish, German)
Arms & Armor Aunlaz Dagger (12th-14th century, English)
Arms & Armor Edward III sword (14th Century, English)
Arma Bohemia Ballock Dagger (Flemish or German, 15th century)
Arms & Armor Medieval Knife (14th or 15th century, English)
Albion Baron (late 13th century, German)
Center: Lewis Moore Hourglass Gauntlets (14th century)

Some of the century designations are approximate as are some of the locations.

More photos of most of these items can be seen in my Collection Gallery.

[Chad Arnow]

[Chad Arnow]

[Chad Arnow]

Klaus, Bennison, and Lancelot,
Thanks for the kind words. It's been a long (but fun) process to assemble a collection I'm satisfied with. And an expensive one. I'm glad people like the photos.

Tim,
The favorites can vary by the day. I really like the custom knives/daggers I've bought recently. That dirk is like a short sword, while the ballock dagger is like an icepick. And the rondel dagger is just nice all around. The ballock dagger may be my favorite right now among the daggers.

I really love the Regent (all around elegance and nice handling) and Sempach (like an early rapier that can cut) out of the big swords, but still like the Baron for its brutality and the Ed III for its bling-bling.

The basket hilt, and ArmArt Crusader sword are nice, but the Sovereign is my favorite of the single-handers.

They're all so different, my answer may change in a few minutes.

[Scott Kowalski]

That is a great collection you have there Chad! I really like the variety of weapon types and time periods. I hope I can put together a collection that is a Third of that one day.

Keep posting the great pictures as well. Because if you want to see bad pictures you should see what I can do.


Scott

[William Goodwin]

Grand & diverse collection indeed Chad.

The Armour Class and the ArmArt are very smart looking pieces.

Thanks for posting....

Cheers,


Bill

[Nathan Robinson]

[Ed Toton]

Excellent collection and very nice photos! I need to do some group shots with my toys as well. It sounds like your collection has evolved similarly to mine, though despite getting rid of many pieces, I still have the bulk of my cheaper stuff. Some of my earlier pieces would be hard to part with, and I enjoy having a cross section of some of the RenFaire sword-makers' works, despite some of them being quite undesirable to my current tastes (I wouldn't consider buying them now, but I've had them forever).

I love seeing other people's collections and displays.

[Chad Arnow]

Scott,
Thanks! Sometimes I feel like the collection isn't diverse enough since I have no rapiers, Viking swords, true two-handers, side-swords, sabers, falchions, messers, etc., etc. I'd love more diversity, but can't afford it right now. I also have no place to put anything else without getting rid of something.

For example, I'd love a good Viking sword, but would want a Patrick Barta-esque repro with pattern-welding and inlay. Too spendy for me these days.

Some day.

[Chad Arnow]

Bill,
Thanks! The Armart is a looker and is somewhat unique. I really love my Armour Class. It's hard to beat them for the price. Custom makers (the next step up) are usually much more expensive.

Ed,
Thanks also. There are some pieces I wish I could have/would have kept, but generally I'm over the things I've let go over the years. It would have been nice to keep it all, but I wouldn't have been able to afford the stuff I have now if I hadn't sold the other stuff. Oh well.

[Tim May]

Chad, I'll admit to a twinge of jealousy every time I see your Sovereign, the guard and pommel really set it into a different class. The collection looks fantastic, and as one starting a collection yours is a fantastic guide; you understand you can't have everything so each piece you make count. The Armart crusader is another which I have always just loved (and have on occasion spent hours looking at in your gallery muttering curses under my breath ). The swords are all really exquisite, and a picture of them in scabbards would be great (the ones that have them), just to see the differences in style for each different sword. Thanks for sharing these .