Ethnographical weapons re-interpretated

ariel · 21st March 2005, 07:34 PM

I greatly admire modern artisans who are trying to reproduce and reinvent ancient weapons. Their dedication to the field, tenacity in execution and respect for tradition are inspiring. The final fruit of their labor is often functionally superior to the original: after all, the old masters had no access to modern steels, instruments, materials and technology. If I were to go to a sword battle, I'd probably choose a good modern replica rather than the original.
Having said that, as a collector I would not buy a modern rendition of a shashka, a yataghan or a dha. For me, 99% of the value is in the history of the sword, not in it's technological attributes. No matter how well modern replicas are executed, how dedicated their creator was and how close they are to the original, they totally lack an element of The Past.

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21st March 2005, 07:34 PM	#11
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I greatly admire modern artisans who are trying to reproduce and reinvent ancient weapons. Their dedication to the field, tenacity in execution and respect for tradition are inspiring. The final fruit of their labor is often functionally superior to the original: after all, the old masters had no access to modern steels, instruments, materials and technology. If I were to go to a sword battle, I'd probably choose a good modern replica rather than the original. Having said that, as a collector I would not buy a modern rendition of a shashka, a yataghan or a dha. For me, 99% of the value is in the history of the sword, not in it's technological attributes. No matter how well modern replicas are executed, how dedicated their creator was and how close they are to the original, they totally lack an element of The Past.