My family has a rule, no guns or edged weapons for Christmas, but in a stunningly loose
interpretation of the question I did get a totally tasteless interactive "Tour of Graceland"
pop up book. It isn't about the blades we admire, but it does have a real shiny lame cover. LOL
I did apply cash gifts received toward the purchase of a '73 Winchester repro with a
color case hardened receiver, which I hope I can pick up March/April.

To a New Year full of promise,
Doug Gentner

I got a LOT of money from my family to put towards my holiday present to myself - The Albion Ritter. Sadly most of the swords are on a 16 week backorder and I won't be getting mine until the end of march :( :( :(

I also got a set of fencing equiptment so I don't have to keep using the grubby, used, sweaty stuff at my classes. Green handled foil.

Don't suppose it really counts as "Christmas" presents but they were bought around Christmas. Got an early 16th century elbow cop from a three piece arm harness and the four lowest lames of a left pauldron from the late 16th/17th century (found these in an antique dealers case labled "four plates of armour" for $40.00!).

Not much per se, I did pick up a copy of Machiavelli's the art of war, as well as the year 1000 for general history reading. I'm also planning to use the money from various relatives as seed money for a custom project in the future, assuming school costs don't continue to grow.

After the Huge Spending Spree starting in August 2005 that started to slow down in the early summer of 2006 and finally became sane :eek: in October of 2006 :lol: "Well, some money came my way and I had to get myself started in this obsession ya know and I had sword, weapon, attire, book and dvd fever really BAD :!: " Bought my wife stuff too though, an A & A Elector of Saxony Dagger with deluxe scabbard and a few other daggers and a thousand dollar period ensemble that is just gorgeous on her. Another new camera, Nikon N 80 and a couple of lenses.
But that money, well the most of it went into swords, lot's of swords :D good swords :!: Polearms, daggers, a hauberk, spiked buckler, Arms & Armor got the most of it :lol: :!: Got a couple of spectacular Albions too :!:

So I dared not expect, ask for, or obtain for myself any swords etc., this holiday season! But what a BLAST I had in my first serious year and a whole lot of thought went into everything and I have not one regret! I had some very good guideance and advice from members of this forum and directors too!

Congrats Chuck Russell on your books, that one in particular "The Great War Bow" I also have that one, it's awesome isn't it!

Jessen Klaus that is one very handsome sword haul you got there, the known one's are spectacular swordsmiths :!:

Congrats Martin Wallgren on your Roman Baeltus, well just the shoes, hasta, and pugio and your ready to raise Roman Hell :!: :lol:

Howdy there Patrick and congrats on your nice little pea shooter there :lol: Actually, that's a handsome rifle and I take it you got that for Christmas? Perhaps you could tell us a little more about that beauty :cool:

Yep one thing for sure, my initiative year was absolutely awesome and I have never had a year like that in my whole life where I've been able to spend that kind of money in such a short period of time :!: I thought real hard before every purchase, there were a couple of minor buys that were kind of stupid that I was warned about by members of this forum where I should have listened, but they were just real minor buys.
I got a whole lot of good advice from myArmoury forum members about my big investments and they really went out of their way to help me :!:
I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and that this coming year brings you at least one of those major acquisitions you have been yearning for so long!

HAPPY NEW YEAR To ONE and ALL

Bob

Just purchased with my Christmas money: 100 Legendary Knives by Gérard Pacella. It was on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble for $6.98! :cool:

Out of curiousity, did anyone who purchased an Albion have any problems with delivery? I feel like I'm the only one with a 4 month backorder :(. I hope I'm not alone in this.


Bob, how much did all of that cost!? If you keep this up, you're going to put A & A out of business if they keep having to make so many blades for you ;) :lol:

Anyway, great job on all of the weapons :)

:lol: Grayson, I figure everything combined I know I dropped about 14 grand :eek: :!: That would be including my wife's period clothing and mine, her camera, everything, maybe more, I try not to think to hard about it :lol: :!:
I started out with a spear and a dagger from Arms & Armor from the Renaissance Fair in the two years prior and I guess you might say I "Launched" in 2005 :!: However, if funds had not found me it would not have been possible, but the timing was perfect and I did a lot of fenangling, I also gave up a whole lot too.
Now I have a pretty solid collection, and if I were to continue like that my wife would simply impale me :!: :lol:

I don't go out, so I don't spend money and I have never been one to gamble, my only other vices are coffee and cigarettes.

It truly was a "BLAST", but the whole hog spending spree is over now, I am just thrilled I was so lucky to have one year like this in my life time and that it happened when it did, because it sure was worth while, I know a lot of collectors sell and trade, perhaps most collectors, but me, I don't see myself parting with anything. I just love everything I have far too much to be able to part with any of it, as crazy as it might sound.
Actually, today I am transmitting the money for the Arms & Armor "Black Prince" with an extra stiff and awl type point to it and then my attention goes to Russ Ellis for this coming summer's Custom Plaque Belt and Scabbard for the Edward III Sword.

Maybe I should entertain the idea of playing the state lottery? :lol:

I've said this before and it's very true, I love reading posts about other forum members acquisitions, holiday gifts (which is the purpose of this thread and I've drifted :idea: :eek: ).

So if anyone has holiday gifts they received, please share, I for one would love to hear about them :!:

Sincerely,

Bob

Patrick,
Yes, thats it alright. Getting a '73 has been an itch I've wanted to scratch for a while and just haven't due to too
many other gotta haves as well. Have you seen the "Mare's Laig" repros? Same size as Josh Randalls yet ATF
legal? There was was an article about them in the latest issue of "Guns of the Old West". Tempting but it's
built like the original on a '96.

Toys in the attic about toys!
Doug Gentner

I was thinking my A&A Edward III would be here by December. Oh well, any day now. I ordered it back in August so I guess that wouldn't make it a "holiday" present in the conventional sense. I actually asked Craig and everyone who took part in making it to put their signatures on the invoice so I can frame it next to the sword as an extra-special keepsake; after all, this is my dream sword.

Indeed, we should be thankful that we can indulge ourselves in this hobby of ours and be mindful and caring of those less fortunate than us.

Hey Steve....Congrats on all your new stuff...........esp. " Shiny Shapes " ! Well done also on that MRL Scott. Burgonet too.....Id love to get one of those but MRL are just too hard to deal with unless you do what you did and actually drop in and see them ....not so easy for me ! I did manage to actually get one e-mail reply which is a lot more than poor old Nathan has ever recieved from them . Dont know why they even bother having a web-site.
I managed to get a copy of "The Medieval Armour from Rhodes" for $50 which isnt too bad. I have not read much yet but it really explaines a lot about the Hospitallers and their defences. So I went and had a look at some on-line images which helps me visualise what they're talking about in the text......very advanced Castle and fortifications for the time, much like the 17th C. French ones.
Like you, I got a copy of "Beowulf & Grendel" ...also v. cool (except for the leather bits of harness...what were they thinking ? ) Managed to find some really wierd (but great) Russian medieval music on-line as samples....enough to make a whole album....those Russians really know how to party ! And now, for something entirely different, I also got from my girlfriend, an autographed copy of the script from " Monty Python Live at the Hollwood Bowl ".
I hope your Christmas was an excellent one...and also for all the Forum members !
Let me know if you ever plan to make your way back here to Oz and we will catch up.
Cheers !

Merv, according to one of my friends on another forum who use to do the ups pick up for MRL, they old staff is all gone. It has long been replaced by an entirely indian staff (kudos to windlass...) who are not as good as the first, apparently. MRL seems to actually be going backward now.

This is so fun seeing what other people got for the holidays and being able to ask questions and oggle :lol:

Merv, "Medieval Armour From Rhodes" is a neat book, you'll enjoy it. All the armour in the book was in the armoury of the fortress at the time of the seige (1522 right?) demonstrating the long use life armour had ( there are pieces dating back to the 1430's that were still in service). Several of the pieces have working life alterations as well. Also where possible a metalergical analysis was done to determine what the piece was made of (iron/steel) and if an attempt had been made to heat treat it.