[Lisa Nelems]

Is there someone around the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area that check a sword out for me? My father bought a sword at least 20 years ago at a Birmingham Gun show that I now have and I am interested in getting some information about. I would also like to get some information about how to get it out of its case (I obviously don't know anything about swords, besides the fact I have always thought this one was beautiful, so I don't know what you professionally call the case it slides into), as I had taken it out of the case and placed it back in upside down. Now, it is only halfway in. Please help.

UPDATE: My husband just got the sword out of the scabbard without too much effort on his part. I have taken several pictures of it but they are too large to download (964 kb) and I don't know how to shrink it to fit.

[Justin King]

Hopefully there is someone near you who can help, in the meantime if you could post some pictures of the sword here you may get some good info and/or advice. Wish I could help more, there are likely others here who can though.

[Sean Flynt]

Hello, LIsa!

I work at Samford University in Birmingham and you're welcome to bring the sword by sometime. The simpler option is to post some photos here for the whole community to see. That will draw on the expertise of folks who know more than I do about what I'm guessing is probably a 19th or 20th century military sword, given the gun show origin. You're wise not to try and force the sword further into or out of its "case," which is called a scabbard.

If the scabbard is metal you most likely have either an authentic modern military sword or a reproduction 19th century sword. Our region has (had) lots of WWII veterans, and those guys brought back lots of German and Japanese swords as trophies. Reproduction Confederate swords are popular down here as well.

But, show us what you have and we'll probably be able to help you. A detailed description is the next-best thing.