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Originally Posted by Atlantia
I also hope that those rarest of Weapon collectors *hushed tone*
"The Ladies!" Will also join in with the thread.
As Jonathan says, weapon ownership in the UK is somewhat frowned upon and after many years of misrepresentation of collectable (those no longer usable or intended to be used) weapons by the media, many people sadly do seem to see those who 'still' collect them as being in some way either aggressive or maladjusted.
Many small 'traders' shy away from any weapons here now (even edged ones). They are sometimes 'unsure' of the overly complex laws surrounding weapon ownership and many venues won't allow their sale anyway.
Which takes us onto 'what attracted us' to collecting these cultural icons.
When I was a child, I grew up on a diet of Zorro, the Three Musketeers, Robin Hood.
I went to school and was taught about history including the Empires and wars, the great battles and pivotal moments where history's great cultures and ideologies clashed.
When I was a child I loved my toy swords and guns.
I remember my father making me a wooden sword when I was about four years old and how I treasured that sword as it didn't buckle like the hollow plastic 'crusader swords' that could be bought in Woolworths!
But these were different times! Even in the 1970s/80s you would often see swords on peoples walls. Pub 'decor' was not complete without a sword or two hanging on the wall or a muzzle loader over the fire.
But then something changed.
It took a while but the end result was quite profound.
The emphasis in teaching history in schools was moved to economic and social history.
The laws on edged weapons were tightened and tightened further still.
And 'anti social behaviour' was linked to all manner of causes including violence on TV, violent play in children, toys, video games etc, etc...
But I think most importantly, weapon ownership (that was deemed to be 'without good cause') was made 'illegitimate' in the minds of the general public.
Over the years, people have asked me "Why" do I "need" to own these weapons?
Which makes me wonder whether they would ask a collector of antique porcelain dolls 'why?' they 'need' to own toys that they will never 'play' with?
Or a coin collector why they would own money they would never spend?
As though the lack of ability to use an antique weapon for it’s primary purpose invalidates it’s historic 'worth' as an item.
Which leads the rambling waters of my river of though to my next point.
I think that the cultural connection to the blade has been severed in the UK.
I can’t imagine anyone questioning the mental stability of a collector of nihonto in Japan! But the sword is every bit as iconic an item to European culture as to Japanese, in fact I could easily argue that it is MORE important to European history and culture!
So is blade ownership in the UK or more specifically the once widespread appreciation of vintage and antique blades now destined to join the category of ‘nostalgia collectables’ as in the main the collectors are those brought up with what is now an anachronistic appreciation of them, and as such we are a diminishing 'breed'?
Do British collectors any longer have any natural successors to bequeath their collections to?
Or are ’we’ destined to become the next set of ’old boys’ with their train-set dioramas in the attic? Or like collectors of ‘tin plate toys’ and nobody who wants to inherit them?
If so it will be the foreign collectors who save the value of our items, but many will eventually end up going overseas.
Sorry for rambling on. Thanks to anyone who stuck with it this far!
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Absolutely beautifully written and perfectly said Gene!!!
It is great to learn more on all of us and how we became 'afflicted'
As for the ladies, it is remarkable and fantastic to have a wife who understands, tolerates or best of all participates in this 'hobby'. It took me three ex wives and my wife now is fantastic at listening to my ramblings...I dont collect anymore so that is not an issue.
I would point out that we have some wonderfully knowledgeable and outstanding ladies with us, Tatyana and Cathy who visits occasionally and I think there are others. There have been some great references and articles written by women who are great arms scholars as well, so actually our interest in arms is hardly gender sensitive, and gratefully so.
All the best,
Jim