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Forum Index > Makers and Manufacturers Talk > A Contemporary Ancient Jian Reply to topic
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Peter Johnsson
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Location: Storvreta, Sweden
Joined: 27 Aug 2003
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PostPosted: Sun 29 Jul, 2007 3:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you all for positive comments. It is always encouraging to hear that ones work is appreciated.

I have been contacted a few times over private PM on this sword since it was posted.
Perhaps it would be good to provide some general outlines for how I work these days, general price level and such?

Unfortuantely, I cannot accept custom orders at this time. The coming year I look forward to developing new techniques and to do experiments with new materials. This might lead to new paths to follow for me as a maker.
I will still continue making swords in the historical European tratidion as before.
Available work time needs to be used to best affect, and it is difficult to keep track on custom orders in such a situation as this. Even before, my time was limited and governed by museum projects, design work and opportunities that arose to document originals. It has been increasingly difficult to estimate delivery times and production time as work has evolved over the years. Since a few years back I have all but stopped accepting custom orders and generally make swords for sale on avaliable now basis.

The price for a sword made by me is about five times higher than a sword of same general type manufactured by Albion. As a rule my prices start at 3500 USD or 2400 Euro.
I will never make by hand in my smithy a sword of the same design that was developed for Albion. Nor will I ever translate directly one of my handmade swords into a design for Albion. The exception to this rule is when I make reconstructions of swords for museums that might be developed into Museum Line swords.

The price for a sword of the same level as the Jian in this thread (including scabbard), is about 7000 USD or 5000 Euro.
Chinese swords are interesting and I will certainly return to the study of those.

As a maker I feel it is important to make clear distinction of the focus and intention of a sword.
If I want to work to emulate historial swords I need to have as much reference material as possible. Ideally I want to have handeled several and documented a couple swords of the type I am making. To me reconstruction is a specific concept intending to come as close as I can to known things.

Working with the sword as a contemporary weapon or object, I can be as free as I want in relation to historical swords. I can reference ancient swords as it fits the poroject. I still think it is a god idea to base designs on knowledge gained from the study of originals, but with contemporary designs ideas and impressions can be taken from separate traditions and eras, as long ias it all comes together somehow. This is not even in the realm of historically plausible. It is just a matter of making the best of what ancient swordmsiths can teach a contemporary maker.

A contemporary sword can also be made as a homage to tradition. This is quite apart from making a strict reconstruction and allows more of the personality of the maker to show through. By incorporating the dynamical characteristics of an original type or an original sword it is still possible to stay true to the intended function. It is a balancing act, a matter of interpretation of the material at hand. A decision has to be made what is crucial with the type and the design and what can be open for new shapes, materials and expressions.

To me these distinctions make sense and are important for how I approach work. I am well aware that it might not make sense or to be of any value to any one else.
The heritage of ancient swords is huge, but largely unknown. It is true that only a fragment of what once was has survived for us to study today. But sometimes I think that the vastness of the material that has survived is underestimated. You can spend a life time of professional study and yet not see all there is to see.
A limiting factor is available time and cost for travel, especially as this has to be funded by swordmaking in my case.
It is very rewarding however and to me a crucial element in my work. To me it is time and cost well spent, so I guess IŽll keep doing it.
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