Perhaps I'm spoiled by the records available to medievalists and medieval Britain in particular. In addition to actual workshop accounts, contracts for provision of arms, purveyance etc, we can deduce army numbers and standards of arms requirements to make some informed guesses about quantities, qualities, economics and the impact on military and political organization. The upshot in this case being I have the sword in question!
I'll have a look at the works you've mentioned thank you very much, and this forum in itself is a trove.
Kind regards
Randall
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