New Sutton Hoo work by Dave Roper -- myArmoury.com

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 11:32 am Post subject:

Dave has just finished the shield. Although the flash in this picture has obscured much of the detail there is still enough to provide an idea of what it looks like. I'll post better pictures when I get them.

Paul

Geoff Wood · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 12:31 pm Post subject:

Looks wonderful! What does it weigh now it's all done?
Regards
Geoff

Gordon Clark · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 12:42 pm Post subject:

I'm so spoiled by all the lovely pieces that get posted that it is realatively difficult to make me do the double take I just did when I looked through this thread. Wow!

Gordon

Jeroen Zuiderwijk · Industry Professional

J. Bedell · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 4:11 pm Post subject:

Wow thats a beautiful shield!
What are its dimensions?

-James

Hugo Voisine · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject:

Waa, your new shield is awesome. Eek!

I hope you can post more detailed (and zoomed) pictures of the central figures... A bird and a snake / dragon ?

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Mon 05 Mar, 2007 9:50 am Post subject:

Many thanks for the positive responses, gentlemen.

The shield is about a yard in diameter and around 0.8 cms thick. It is made of lime and covered in leather. It is mainly a flat board but lenticular for about the last six or seven inches of its diameter. I will have to get Dave to weigh it with the parts added but it was pretty light when it left me.

Most of the fittings are pressed bronze plates (pressbleches) or bronze castings and most of them have been gilded or silvered. Some silver parts are solid silver (Dave said it was easier with those bits.

I'll post individual pictures of the constituent parts when I get them -- somewhere there is a thread with pictures of the boss - I can't find it at the moment but if anyone wants me to I can put them up again.

Anyone can see the shield from 17th March as it will be in an exhibition at the Sutton Hoo Visitors' Centre until the end of October 2007.

Cheers,

Paul

Hugh Fuller · Posted: Mon 05 Mar, 2007 11:48 am Post subject:

Paul, that is flat gorgeous! And you even have Patrick's superb sword to go with it! You do realize there are people out here who would kill for those items and you are inciting them. Big Grin

I am SO envious.

Merv Cannon · Posted: Mon 05 Mar, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject: Sutton Hoo & Dave Roper

Hi Paul...........That sure is fantastic work........astoiunding actually...........I have been trying to take another look at The Hoard's website (www.thehoard.co.uk) once again and I've tried several times over the last few months and all you get is a tilled blue screen. Do you know if they have changed sites or something ? I was going to send Dave an e-Mail as well but its no go since the blue screen.
Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks

Donald Taylor · Posted: Thu 08 Mar, 2007 2:44 pm Post subject:

My God. I'm speechless to how wonderful that shield and helm look.

Robert H. Shyan-Norwalt · Posted: Thu 08 Mar, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:

I'm sure Readwald would have traded for this one. What a magnificent work of art, form and function. Truely a helm for a King. You think Mr. Roper might want to tackle a Agen-port bowler? Once again, awesome attention to detail.

Robert.

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Tue 13 Mar, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject:

Dave has just sent me some more pictures -- focus not quite there but gives a good impression of the detail.

Paul

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Wed 28 Mar, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject:

Thought a picture of the completed boss might be nice.

Russ Ellis · Industry Professional

<shakes head in wonder> Simply amazing, thanks for sharing these...

Jack Yang · Posted: Thu 29 Mar, 2007 7:19 am Post subject:

wow man...
If Mr Dave lived a few hundred years back, he'd be surely a personal craftsman of some kings.
I'm knocked out by the shininess !

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Sun 18 May, 2008 4:06 am Post subject:

With all the interest in Vendel period bits and the fact that Dave Roper has more or less finished the great project, here are some pictures of the latest work. The sword, of course, is not by Dave but by Patrick Barta.
When I can downsize the picture of the purse I will add a picture of that, too.

Paul

Darrin Hughes · Posted: Sun 18 May, 2008 6:22 am Post subject:

Hello Paul.

I bet your bank manager must love you Happy

That is one hell of a collection. I think that shows some serious commitment on your part and the craftsmen involved. It's good to see that the Barta and Roper pieces sit well together, it would indicate to me that both have been true to the source, to the degree that it looks like the work of the same craftsman.

Congratulations on some great kit.
Cheers,
Darrin.

ps, my own Barta sword is still about three years away but I've definitely got something to look forward to Happy

Matt Bayley · Posted: Sun 18 May, 2008 6:51 am Post subject:

Very nice Paul, though as always i've been priveliged to see these bits from the original waxes onwards.
I did try and make everything less shiney by pawing them with my forge blackened hands Wink

.

Dave's made a seax recently with a ver simple but pretty scabbard, hope to get some piccies from him.

Cheers

Matt

Antal László · Posted: Sun 18 May, 2008 7:00 am Post subject:

Hi,
I tried Dave Ropers website as posted in the first post: www.thehoard.co.uk, it does not work. Does he have a new address?

Very nice kit, all the stuff together seems to me like a huge treasure. Very cool Cool

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Sun 18 May, 2008 11:12 am Post subject:

Dave does do extremely good work and just gets better and better. Thanks everyone. Matt made the boss on the shield and then Dave put the shiny bits on it. So thanks to Matt, too; I have seen the seax that Matt refers to and it is lovely (Matt made the blade).
If there is anything that anyone would like to see in more detail, just let me know.

Paul