I would love to see some more migration era pieces on the market. Pre Viking age stuff. There is such a huge variety of styles that have never seen production.

I've added scabbard and suspension photos to the gallery.

Looks great Christian !

As for suggestion concerning the future Prestige Line... complex hilted swords are definitely a must...

Also, what about some good old single edged cleavers, like a german messer or a 16th century swiss saber... A nice falchion would be a geat addition to the line, too. :)

You put a 16th century date limit, but how about a 17th century northern European military sword? A classic Walloon would be great, but the complex star and circle piercings on the counterguard plates would probably raise the price considerably. Some of the other somewhat similar 17th century swords might work. Most have pierced plates, but not all of them. As seen below, there is a comparatively simple arrangement of knucklebow, side-branches, and thumb-ring.

Ollin just came out with a custom version, but I can't think of anyone else who is making this sword type.

Check my current Avatar for a great looking 17th century campaign sword

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The Seneschal looks great! I like everything about it. It all just "fits the picture" for a XIIa. Bravo!!!

As for other offerings, IMO no line of medieval swords is complete without a nice Type XII and a fast little Type XIV. I would be first in line for one based on XIV.4 from Records, whether it were done as a XIV or an XVI (as it might have actually been). It just seems like the perfect medieval sword to me.

A Type XII based on either XII.10 or XII.11 would be very nice. They have been done. But not with the benefit of Gus' blade design and your excellent hilt work.

I'd like to echo the call for a very nice fast-handling falchion and a single-hand messer with 27-29 inch blade.

Another offering that I think would do well is something very similar to XVI.3 from Records. Del Tin is the only production maker that I am aware of who has make one based on this. All the others have been custom one-of-a-kind creations. It would be nice to get a great handling version of this beauty.

Sorry if I'm not very creative, being a "worshiper at the Oakeshott alter" as it were. :D

Stats and pricing for the Seneschal are now up on my site:

http://www.christianfletcher.com/Christian_Fl...schal.html

All things considered that is a very reasonable price for the sword with the scabbard and belt. I look forward to seeing further offerings from the Prestige line. 'cough' XIIIb 'cough' :D You can't blame a guy for trying can you? ;)

The stats are also very impressive for the sword. A nice handy looking blade indeed.

Scott

That's a great collaboration. Very nice details. It's great to see this new line and I'm really looking forward to it!

I have only seen this sword in rough form before you got your hands on it- excellent job finishing and on the handle. You have exceeded my expectations! One of the nicest XIIa swords out there.

It certainly IS one of the best looking XIIa swords Ive seen also, but if you added a Prestige model close to the Signature Line Malatesta I would consider buying one of those as well. (always had a love for XII and XIIA's)

The prestige line will be like buying the signature line in high quality.

not to knock the signature line , (I have ordered rthe Bristol and Kriegschwert ) and am very exited about recieving them, but this new line is great news Christian.

The Seneschal looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing what else you add to this line. Is the hilt furniture antiqued, and if so is that the standard finish? It appears to have a quite different look to the blade.

Since you asked for suggestions I'll add my opinion, starting by echoing the call for a XIIIb. The only option we currently have at the high end of the market is Albion's Tritonia, which is undoubtedly a good sword, but being part of their museum line, it is also quite expensive. A type XII is always a good addition to a line up, perhaps a simplified version of XII.17 in Records would go down well. Lastly I'll say that while I'm a fan of type XXI (which incidentally, no one is making) I've surprised to hear so many requests for type XXII as I've always considered it a particularly unattractive form, and seems to have been little used in history too, but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I'm putting in another vote for a migration sword, specifically one of the ring hilts. There aren't many recreations of these swords around - offhand I can think of only Del Tin DT2071 and the Windlass Beowulf sword (also a Templ). I think one with a real ring, rather than one of the later ones where the ring has merged into the hilt, would be preferable, but that's just my opinion. A CF ring hilt sword and scabbard could be a thing of beauty.

I second the swiss saber. I would also love to see a Karabela, polish saber (L shaped guard + thumb ring), and a kriegsmesser. Don't ask for much do I :p ?

Cheers,

This is great!

I'm glad to see you guys are moving in this direction with hilt assembly and historical accuracy. I admire Gus' work very much, but never really cared for the hex nut assembly. I've also moved toward historical accuracy in hilt assembly and hilt components in my own tastes.

So, here's what I'd like to see from this new line:

Some type XV and XVIII single-handers, between 2.5 and 2.75 pounds with blades between 29 and 31 inches. Able to make powerful cuts and nice and stiff for thrusting. Acute points.

Something that has plenty of rigidity and mass, that can float like an AT1557 and strike like an AT1554. Built as solid as the AT1554 but with a shorter blade like an AT1422. Historically accurate guard and wheel pommel. Permanent hilt assembly. Balanced for cut and thrust but with a slight bias toward the thrust. 31 inch blade...

You should make some models that will give Albion's Poitiers and Kingmaker some healthy competition.

Also some type XV and XVIII longswords between 3 and 3.5 pounds, with blades around 35 to 36 inches. Something nice and stiff, and with plenty of mass, like an AT1403 but with a more acute point and historically accurate hilt would be wonderful.


Here's some examples of historical swords that I think could / should inspire models for the new line:

http://www.myArmoury.com/view.html?features/pic_spotxviii08.jpg

http://www.myArmoury.com/view.html?features/pic_spotxviii12.jpg

http://www.myArmoury.com/view.html?features/pic_spotxv04.jpg

http://www.myArmoury.com/view.html?features/pic_spotxv12.jpg

http://www.myArmoury.com/view.html?features/pic_spotxviii18.jpg

Here's my favorite sword. A historically accurate model inspired by this, with plenty of mass and rigidity, would be my dream sword, as far as single handers go:

http://www.myArmoury.com/view.html?features/pic_spotxv03.jpg

Mr. Norton-

Almost all of those swords have been reproduced at least once by some maker or another. Many are still available on the market in various degrees of accuracy. Some are represented by multiple makers, in fact.

While I certainly would like to see some very, very accurate reproductions of each of those, I'd much prefer to see unique offerings that have not yet been tackled by the reproduction market yet.

There are so many antique swords from which to pick that I absolutely hate to see makers focus only on those ones that are commonly published time and time again in inexpensive books.

A huge part of the catalog of swords that have been produced over the last 20 years have come from the same photos released by The Royal Armouries (Leeds, formally the Tower of London), The Wallace Collection, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seeing new iterations of these swords has gotten quite old for me, personally, especially after having been exposed to the larger picture of extant originals.

Having said that, all the ones you've chosen are, of course, excellent. I'd steer any maker to find originals of similar type that exist in other collections and go from there.

I would also love to see some sideswords and early cut and thrust rapiers. Something that would work well for Marozzo.