GREAT ADDITION ED!!!
In my earliest days of collecting and study, THIS book was the backbone of everything, and I totally blame Burton for this lifelong affliction/obsession in the study of historic and exotic weapons. Back in those days, there were few books and references, especially accessible or affordable. Obviously decades before computers, the web, email etc. (years ago Andrew here wisecracked, yeah Jim but they still had papyrus, right?). ...this book became my guide.
I wanted to follow him, and learn of every kind of sword worldwide, and their history. ...and I've come close in the past 50+ years. A wonderful and fascinating odyssey, in the steps of Burton, one of the most intriguing characters Ive ever known of.
One if the most exciting moments came over 20 years ago, when after a long search, I finally found that his notes were actually held in the rare books section of the Huntington Library in Calif. I was able to obtain access by invitation of the curator, and when I went I was led into a private room by security guards. There, wearing white gloves etc. the boxes of now yellowed sheaves of unlined paper......was the original MANUSCRIPT! for the Book of the Sword!
The words were printed in pencil in the tiniest letters Ive ever seen, and the line drawings seen in the book were pinned with straight pins to the pages (there were no staples in the 1850s).
I am not afraid to admit trembling a little as I carefully went through the pages of the book I cherished most of my life, in the first words of Burton from those days before publishing the book.
I could not resist reminiscing, hazards of old age.
While indeed dated, this book has been so valuable in setting the benchmarks for study in virtually every area. It has been the baseline for so many researches I have done, and despite some errors corrected with new data a century later, overall he was amazingly accurate.
Thank you Ed, for sharing this here, an important reference that even young newcomers to all of this should find fascinating.
Gratefully,
Jim
|