What a history

[ariel]

Long, long ago somebody on this Forum said: " Buy the sword, not the story".

I still remember it.

[Rick]

Here's an echo.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...+not+the+story

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by ariel

Long, long ago somebody on this Forum said: " Buy the sword, not the story".

I still remember it.

So much true! Yet, very often people prefer to buy the story.

@ Rick

Didn't see this thread. Made me smile! Reminded me Alan's story about the "flying keris."

[ariel]

Stories are important, especially when we are dealing with historical swords. After all, history is a " (hi)-story":-)

But they need to be substantiated by solid documentation. Then they can legitimately elevate the value ( and the price) of the object many fold. Provenance has its own value, and we all know the examples. Seller's descriptions that are unsubstantiated by any objective evidence usually smell of deceit.


How about we start a thread of real "hi-story- cal" examples ? Something with well-known, -museum,- things, from our own collections or even from auction sales that flew under the radar?

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by ariel

How about we start a thread of real "hi-story- cal" examples ? Something with well-known, -museum,- things, from our own collections or even from auction sales that flew under the radar?

Brilliant idea! I think it would become a classic thread growing continuously.

I have one interesting piece but cannot start the thread as I am in the hospital. However, how "real" its history might be is debatable. Nevertheless, I think its history is much more plausible than the one of this thread.