For those who have not seen it yet:
[ Linked Image ]
(Image from Albion Europe's Facebook page)
My jaw literally dropped when I saw this (and it hung there for a little bit, too).
Huge and beautiful. All that needs to be said.
Huge and beautiful. All that needs to be said.
OMG its bigger than Peter
Seriously though, very interesting proportions on this sword. Powerful presence.
Seriously though, very interesting proportions on this sword. Powerful presence.
| Bartek Strojek wrote: |
| OMG its bigger than Peter
Seriously though, very interesting proportions on this sword. Powerful presence. |
Nooo, its just the angle. You know, as with the technique in lord of the rings. The hobbits are just smaller because of the shooting angle.
I can't beleive how good that looks. All I have heard about the original blades combined with what Peter has come up with for the finished product is some sort of perfection. The proportions of that sword are beyond description.
Speaking of which, Peter, can you comment how this blade fits in with your hypothesis about blade geometry, or indeed if it does fit in?
In most cases I now design swords based on my hypothesis on geometrically defined proportions. This applies both to my own custom work and the designs I develop for Albion.
If you find the proportions of the Alexandria intriguing, it may be because there are some very specific principles that are followed in the design.
In time all shall be revealed ;-)
If you find the proportions of the Alexandria intriguing, it may be because there are some very specific principles that are followed in the design.
In time all shall be revealed ;-)
I take it then that you are saving your information on the Alexandria for a future publication...
I know that there have been a few "Version II"s of Albion swords, the Knecht and the Late 15th Century Great Sword coming to mind. I also know that more minor adjustments have been made to some swords, like the point on the Regent. Are there any plans to refine or revise some/all of the current Next Gen line based on your your new hypothesis? Or will these differences be present only in the new Albions and custom swords from your smithy?
I know that there have been a few "Version II"s of Albion swords, the Knecht and the Late 15th Century Great Sword coming to mind. I also know that more minor adjustments have been made to some swords, like the point on the Regent. Are there any plans to refine or revise some/all of the current Next Gen line based on your your new hypothesis? Or will these differences be present only in the new Albions and custom swords from your smithy?
| Craig Peters wrote: |
| I take it then that you are saving your information on the Alexandria for a future publication...
I know that there have been a few "Version II"s of Albion swords, the Knecht and the Late 15th Century Great Sword coming to mind. I also know that more minor adjustments have been made to some swords, like the point on the Regent. Are there any plans to refine or revise some/all of the current Next Gen line based on your your new hypothesis? Or will these differences be present only in the new Albions and custom swords from your smithy? |
It is not realistic to revise all swords based on this hypothesis only.
To begin with, I do not suspect *all* medieval swords to have been made according to these ideas. Also, some may have been but with such large tolerances that it afterwards is impossible or very difficult to say if a geometric structre was the basis for its design and if so, what it may have looked like. Some swords are obviously not very exactly or carefully made. It does not mean that they were not made according to a plan, but this plan is now not present in a clear way in the finished object. Many swords do show an attention to detail that makes it very possible and credible that a plan was followed or at least that certain proportions or modules guided the process.
With this variance in the original material, it might even be a good thing that some Albion made swords will only *almost* answer to geometric structures: that is exactly what I see when I make analysis of original swords!
Over the years I have been using a modular application of the golden section as a method for design. This can result in the same proportions as geometric structures. I have seen this when I have checked the proportions of some of the Albion designs: they were obviously not design on a geometric basis, but still fall into a nice geometric plan. Since a modular use of the golden section aims at establishing harmonious proportions, this should not come as a surprise. I calculated these golden section modules to mimic the harmonic proportions I found in medieval swords. It was a roundabout way to achieve what is more direct and perhaps more correctly established with the use of geometry. A medieval artisan or engineer did not use a pocket calculator. But he did use a straight ruler and a compass. Both methods can arrive at the same result.
For Albion swords this means that when swords may be ready for a redesign, a geometric approach can be used to establish new revised proportions.
-But I like to stress this fact: I do not see my hypothesis as a cover all, something that must always be used. That would be silly to suggest. It is also a young idea yet. I have spent countless hours over the past two and a half years trying out various solutions, methods and applications for geometrically derived design.
There is still a vast amount of work ahead to get a better understanding of the use of geometry in design during the medieval period.
It is very much a work in progress project.
As a designer and craftsman I find the methods very useful and practical. I know from personal experience how it impacts the thought processes of a project as well as practical procedures in the workshop. Geometric design is a tremendously powerful tool for craftsmen, designers and engineers. It was the cutting edge before the age of calculus and computing.
Using geometry as basis for design is undeniably a very medieval way to go solve problems and guide the creative process.
Presently there are several sword in development in the workshop at Albion that have benefitted from these ideas. Information of this will be published in both articles and posts.
This bad boy is on the Albion Europe Facebook page. Looking very good.....time to call Mike I think.
I smell an "Introducing..." post coming soon...!
The Albion Europe Facebook page has a side-by-side photo of the Alexandria and the Principe in the Principe's photo spread - two equal but different flavors of total awesome!
The Albion Europe Facebook page has a side-by-side photo of the Alexandria and the Principe in the Principe's photo spread - two equal but different flavors of total awesome!
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