[Sylvain L.]

Hello everybody,

During a research on the web, i have found this picture of two gladii :

http://www.gemina.nl/images/Rizisepics/swords.JPG (sorry for the link, i don't know how to insert a picture here)

I'm falling in love with the gladius on the right side, a Mainz or Hispaniensis model. This picture come from the legio gemina website (http://www.gemina.nl), i have send them an email for informations, but no answer received
Does anybody can help me to know more about this sword ? What maker do it ? I'm very interessed to buy it, it's so beautiful !

Thanks !

PS : Sorry for my english, i learn it long time ago in school

[Chuck Russell]

i believe that is a mainz style gladius. you can find them here: http://www.kultofathena.com/product~item~AH20...ladius.htm

it looks as though it has been changed by the owner somewhat (handle hilt and pommel are different). or could be entirely by a different maker but the scabbards look the same at first glance.

[JE Sarge]

I am not sure here, but I don't think it's a Deepeeka.

If it is the Deepeeka, the furniture, blade profile, and scabbard have been heavily modified for a better asthetic (as mentioned above). It's not really something that I would personally add to my collection, it's too large, not tempered, and the handle breaks easily:

Here is a link to a review of the Deepeeka on SBG: http://sbgswordforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?...amp;page=1

[Matthew Amt]

Yeah, I also have a feeling that particular sword is a custom-made one. The Deepeeka is quite close in these photos, but up close ("in person") you find that the scabbard is HUGE. Lovely work, especially compared to most Indian-made stuff, but just too big. They also make the finial on the tip too small. It's possible that Deepeeka has modified that scabbard since I last saw it, to make it smaller, but I don't know.

Of course, much depends on what you want the sword for! If you want an eye-catching piece that really isn't bad in terms of visual accuracy, and you want it quickly and affordably, go Deepeeka! But if you want higher quality and greater detailed accuracy, have it custom-made.

A good Mainz gladius IS nice, isn't it? Vale,

Matthew

[Sylvain L.]

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, i also think it's a custom work. Maybee by an european maker, i don't know. No ideas or suppositions about who can do it ?

I'm attired about the overall accuracy of this gladius, quasi-identical to an original, and for it's great beauty.
If you compare this mainz with the pompei on the left, you can see than the width of the blade and of the guard is nearly identical, contrary to a lot of other sword makers.
I think the deepeeka's one is too big or wide, and is just a wallhanger, but it's just my personnal opinon (no offense for deepeeka, i think they have some other good swords).

S.L.