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Alexander Hinman




Location: washington, dc
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
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PostPosted: Sat 24 Dec, 2005 9:29 am    Post subject: My visit to the Walters Museum         Reply with quote

Friday the 23rd, at around 2:00, I entered the Walters Museum in Baltimore with the hopes of seeing their exhibit on Novgorod, which held many of the artifacts I had wanted to see for a number of years. They were all very interesting, but one particular piece caught my eye. An early 14th c icon of the life of St. George. What was particularly impressive about this icon was that there were three different styles of armour presented in it, as opposed to the usual generic scale armour seen in most.

This icon showed a full-body suit of lamellar, and two different types of scale. One was commonly shown, smaller, almost pointed scales while the other was larger, more sparsely shown, rounder scales. The latter might be the 'embossed scale cuirass' talked about in Osprey's Medieval Russian Armies 1250-1500, but I'm not sure. In any case, I found the lamellar suit to be interesting, but it was only shown in one frame of his life, when soldiers were sent to capture him. Sadly, there was no photography allowed in the exhibit, so I can't give you folks a good look.

They also had a collection of 'Islamic Arms and Armour' many of which I've uploaded into the User Submitted Museum Photos album, and they also had a suit of Maxmillian plate, a Pavise, and, strangely enough, a suit of armour that looks to be early-mid 15th c, but has, I think, a 16th c helm.

I also found a dagger with a handle similar to that of Sean's home-made rondel, though more exaggerated in this case.

And a pair of swords, on the right a hand-and-a-half sword that I can't really identify, and the other a single-hand sword that resembles a Knight with a decayed, flat diamond cross section and a different pommel.



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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Sat 24 Dec, 2005 6:01 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Wow, I never knew about this exhibit! Thanks for posting, I need to swing by there!
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"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Alexander Hinman




Location: washington, dc
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PostPosted: Mon 26 Dec, 2005 1:09 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Most of it is in their permanent collection, and it's tucked away quite neatly. Takes some wandering to find. It's just the Novgorod bit that's a temporary exhibit.

Another image, a wooden statue of St. George wielding what I can only call a sword/mace. It makes me feel slightly less critical of people who thought swords weighed 8 lbs. Only slightly, though. *grin*



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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Mon 26 Dec, 2005 2:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Very cool. Have you been to the American Indian museum yet? If not, you may be in for a surprise. They have a really, really nice collection up on the fourth floor of arms brought over by the Conquistadors. Several drop-dead gorgeous rapiers, and even a few two handed swords as well. I was quite surprised to see it.
HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand


"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Steve Grisetti




Location: Orlando metro area, Florida, USA
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PostPosted: Wed 28 Dec, 2005 4:54 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Bill Grandy wrote:
Very cool. Have you been to the American Indian museum yet? If not, you may be in for a surprise. They have a really, really nice collection up on the fourth floor of arms brought over by the Conquistadors. Several drop-dead gorgeous rapiers, and even a few two handed swords as well. I was quite surprised to see it.

Darn! I missed seeing that exhibit. I was parked maybe 100 yards away on Dec 27. While some of my family went in to the American Indian museum, my younger son wanted, instead, to hike beyond the other end of the Mall to see the national Christmas Tree and Menorah (called, by some, the Holiday Tree and Holiday Candlestick Worried ) in ?Lafayette Park? (behind the White House). Oh, well. Maybe next visit.

"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
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Hisham Gaballa





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PostPosted: Wed 28 Dec, 2005 5:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I've just been perusing the pictures you uploaded to the Museum Album. Exellent work, thanks for sharing them. I'll have to add the Walters Museum to my list of "Places I must visit some day". Happy

Edit:
Any chance you might upload bigger pictures of the Turkish krugs (disc cuirasses)? They are one of my all time favorite armours. Big Grin

Speaking of which, did they have any Russian krugs in the exhibition?
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Alexander Hinman




Location: washington, dc
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PostPosted: Wed 28 Dec, 2005 10:01 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I do have one picture zoomed-up on the cuirass disc, but it's pretty ugly. Bad lighting and all that. Still, it's worth a gander. I got some nice detailing

As for Russian versions, sadly no.

Though I do wonder, Hisham, if you've ever seen swords like the 'eared' or 'winged' khanjars before. Were they at all common? The example I put up, at least, was highly decorated. The Khanjar, along with two other pictures, I accidentally sent to the 'antique arms and armor' section, and they can be seen there.
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Hisham Gaballa





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PostPosted: Wed 28 Dec, 2005 10:15 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Alexander Hinman wrote:
I do have one picture zoomed-up on the cuirass disc, but it's pretty ugly. Bad lighting and all that. Still, it's worth a gander. I got some nice detailing

As for Russian versions, sadly no.

Though I do wonder, Hisham, if you've ever seen swords like the 'eared' or 'winged' khanjars before. Were they at all common? The example I put up, at least, was highly decorated.


The only "eared" oriental weapon I can think of are yataghans. these were also used in the Balkans and eastern Europe. I have seen smaller versions of them like this one. Happy

Most yataghans however date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Yataghans earlier than that are very rare, although I do believe that there some 16th century yataghans around.
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Alexander Hinman




Location: washington, dc
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
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Posts: 180

PostPosted: Wed 28 Dec, 2005 12:47 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Whoops! I meant yataghans. I get the names confused far too often for my own good. Thanks for the correction. *slaps forehead*
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