[Ryan A. C.]

I was thinking about what type of sword I generally consider buying, and most of them are of a style that has come from an area of Germanic influence. I just love the way these particular swords look. So I was wondering what cultural background do your favorite swords comefrom?

--sorry, I wasn't sure where to post this--

[Nathan Robinson]

I think I happen to be a collector mostly focused on late 15th-15th century pieces, despite the cultural connection.. but the Germanic and Venetian wares almost always stick out above the rest for me, personally.

[Mark Bowditch]

I'm on a completely different continent (in terms of interest) -- Southeast Asia. My passion is the dha, a sword used throughout continental Southeast Asia, which we care coming to believe has its origins among the Tai people of what is now Yunnan Province in China. Virtually nothing is written about them (for example, the actual name of the sword isn't even known -- "dha" just means "saber," like "dao" in Chinese), but they are really fun to collect because they come in an endless variety of styles and dress. I am collecting photos of examples on a web site devoted to dha study, the Dha Research Index. I hope to expand the site soon with more photos, and articles on the dha, its origins and manufacture.

[Douglas Peters]

I'm pretty torn between Scottish, English, and German. All of these are the places my family come from, and I'm starting to like those big "War Knives" more and more. Then again basket hilts have probably become my favorite type of single hander, and I'm really starting to like dirks and sgian dubhs, so I guess I'll have to go with Scottish. Then again, I have little idea about the subtle differences between them, so maybe someday I'll decide I like the styles from elsewhere.

[Thomas McDonald]

17th-18th century Scottish swords for me ...... w/ German blades of course ;-) Mac

[Shawn Duncanson]

Germanic of all ages Sabres of all types and Caucus (shashka, kindjal, quaddara, qamas) area weapons seem to float my boat. Currently though I seek the two handed sabres and kreigsmessers

[Andrew Winston]

[Joe Fults]

I think I tend to lack overall focus right now, but mainly 14-17th century.

As for region; I bounce from German, to Scottish, to Italian, to Spanish, to German, to English, to German.

I figure the German interest is because my ancestors are primarily German. Same for the Scottish stuff. The rest are a hodgepodge from NW Europe and the Isles. Oddly fewer Scottish pieces appeal to me than do German itmes even though its about an even ancestral split.

I really like some of the larger German swords and the armour is great. I suppose the Italian and Spanish reflect a mild rapier fascination, so perhaps the civilian side of things there?

[John Piscopo]

[Geoff Freeman]

I jump around so much in my interests that it's beginning to get annoying for me. For a period of a couple months I'll be totally into 15th European century arms and armor, then, suddenly, I'll be completely into 17th century Euro arms. And then back again. Lately, however, I've been really into 18th century Euro arms (hangers, smallswords, baskethilts, sabers, flintlocks, etc.). Since most of my family comes from northern Europe (Germany and Norway) and the British Isles (Wales and England), most of my weapons are of that type. My new Darkwood rapier is of an English pattern, for instance. I think for the first time I've become very content in the 18th century, so I think that this is where I will stay....

[Andrew Winston]

[Andrew Winston]

Another example:

[Allen W]

I run gamut from bronze age Europe to modern East Asia but always return to Northern Europe and Japan from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries in both cases.

[John Piscopo]

[Gabriel Lebec]

Hm... mostly traditional Japanese (nihonto) and high-quality custom Japanese-styled.

Also like a bunch of Euro designs - renaissance era stuff, Germanic, French, Italian. Also swept hilt rapiers. But I haven't found the motivation to actually spend money on any of them yet...

[Taylor Ellis]

I like 9th and 14th century swords, specifically Anglo-Saxon migration pieces and 13th century bastard swords.

[Jose Albovias]

I focus on mainly on Filipino-Moro bladed weaponry, followed by Indonesian-Malaysian, Middle Eastern, Scottish (and a piece or two from America, Africa, India, and Japan).