[Bill Duncan]

Well everyone I have to admit that Art Elwell is one heck of a nice fellow and carries some terrible fine gear!
Two tables of Del Tin and Lutel swords, daggers, mass weapons, and poll-arms and of corse I forgot to bring a camera!
Doc Hunter and I made the hour drive from Stockton and I got us lost only once we arrived at the Double tree inn and were very aware that this was a SCA event, everyone was in period gear and Doc and I were in our outfits of two worn out parents.
Looking around in the first room they had some nice wasters by a fella named James Colgate of New Stirling Arms very nicely balanced. I don’t know what type of wood is used but they feel good in the hand.
After looking around for a little while and thinking that we were in the wrong place because we could not find Arts booth I asked some one who was dressed as a grand lord if he knew were I could Find a booth called A Work Of Art was? He replies with “Oh you mean the real swords?” and points the way.
In the next room was the room that carried the real fun stuff! The first table was full of Casi and Windless stuff that was nice to see up close and not in a catalog for a change. Now I will say this as a former owner of a couple of CASI things I have to say they have gotten better on their weights and better in their looks. Now on to the goodies! A large banner with the words “A Work Of Art.”
And there they were two whole tables full of great looking swords, daggers, maces, flails, and other goodies! The first person we met was Art’s brother Denise who was very friendly and helpful about the stuff they carried, Art finished with a customer and came over to our side of the table and I have to say very good person to deal with (Shoot he didn’t even get mad when we said we were to broke to buy any thing!) And very knowledgeable about the items he carried.
The stock that he had was very eclectic as well as some of my personal fav’s, several nice daggers that were just screaming “TAKE ME HOME!!” maces and war hammers from Lutel that were just begging to knock the fire out of some steel drums. And of course some grand swords that I have been itching to handle ever since I first saw them, The first swords I handled were the swords
from Vladimir Cervenka very beautiful and truly artistic swords. Next came the Del Tins, now most time I have to admit I prefer the good old hand and a halfers but tonight I was really interested in the single handers and the two falchions that D.T. carry were right in front of me just begging for a once over and I have to say they live up to what I had heard, damn nice weapons that feel very comfortable in the hand with a very comfortable weight. I could write about all the swords and my impressions on each one but I don’t type that well and it would be very boring suffice to say D.T. and Lutel carry some of the nicest mass produce stuff out there and from all I have read there quality control has always been top of the line.
Art as I said is a nice fella and after seeing his scrimshaw work he is a talented as well. All in all I have to say that it was one of the nicest evenings Doc and I have had since coming to California.
Dunc