Flamberg Two-hand Swords, late 16th-Early-17th Century

[Dmitry]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Thank you, Jasper,

My experience has shown though that museum people, e.g. from the Met, actually care very little to virtually nothing about what some forumites think, especially as long as they are anonymous and unidentifiable, and have never published books or articles the traditional way, which to them still is the way it has to be done in order to get acknowledged.
German museum people are all the worse.

Best,
m

Well said.
Not only the museums, but fellow enthusiasts. Case in point, on another well-known bulletin board/forum centered around early and medieval weapons, someone had started a thread about naval dirks, which is my passion and my specialty in collecting. They had quoted the British National Maritime Museum website for attribution of a couple of pieces that were attributed very wrong, in an obvious way. When I pointed that out, a couple of forumites there brushed me away, in an unfriendly fashion.
After all, who am I, not even a published author, to question THE MUSEUM ?!

[Matchlock]

That's as sad as it's true, Dmitry.

m

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Dmitry

Well said.
Not only the museums, but fellow enthusiasts. Case in point, on another well-known bulletin board/forum centered around early and medieval weapons, someone had started a thread about naval dirks, which is my passion and my specialty in collecting. They had quoted the British National Maritime Museum website for attribution of a couple of pieces that were attributed very wrong, in an obvious way. When I pointed that out, a couple of forumites there brushed me away, in an unfriendly fashion.
After all, who am I, not even a published author, to question THE MUSEUM ?!

A recurrent situation. Some attributions in (some) museums are so implausible that even a modest non qualified enthusiast can notice the error at miles of distance.
But i know about a published author who alerted a determined (military) museum for the fact that a certain pistol in exhibition had the hammer of a different weapon and they did nothing to correct the failure ... having a couple hundred more of such pistols in their arsenal depot.

[Matchlock]

And probably retaining their correct hammers, I guess!

m

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

And probably retaining their correct hammers, I guess!

m

Naturally

[Matchlock]

All that a dedicated collector is to such smug people is a nuisance and an inconvenient amateur trying to air himself.
I gave up pointing out errors to museum people decades ago. It's just not worth my breath, and I guess they like me better when I keep silent or just say 'wow', pretending to be impressed - which of course I am, in the negative sense of the word!

Best,
Michl

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all~ There are those exhibits in some museums which need to be corrected on detail ... we all know of examples.. however many of the museums experts are very helpful so on balance I think they come out on top. No one on the other hand has the right to look down his nose upon those students of Ethnographic arms who are trying to learn the ropes... I think everyone agrees on that ..

....but why cannot Ethnographic Arms be studied as a formal degree course..? These days degrees can be undertaken on virtually any subject. It is a very worthy study subject...certainly enough content in it to merit a doctorate no?

My question develops ~ Why don't we at this forum expand the equation to include Forum certified courses on Ethnographic Arms and Armour? There are enough qualified persons on Forum to generate this as a series of modules. This Forum already has doctorate level individuals in most fields. What is the definition of University Study? Has anyone ever approached a leading University for accreditation of such a series of modules?

Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Matchlock]

You took the words right out of my mouth, Ibrahiim,

Yes, weaponry is not a study subject. Most museum peopple graduated in art history, at best. Of course they never heard a word on weapons during their university years.
You have to be an autodidactic self-made man to be an A&A expert.

Best,
Michael