Use of Actual Vintage Arms as Props in Early Films - Page 3

Oriental Armament Collection · 15th January 2026, 03:47 PM

This Japanese sword is very beautiful. Can we find a Chinese sword?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

Hi Jim

Not Hollywood or film but I got this out of a prop room in a theatre in Ireland

A Katana in what are known as handachi (half tachi) mount dating from 1580's, razor sharp and great condition.

I taught it was a good repro.

I lucked out on this one.

Keep well and thanks for all your great contributions, I still remember your very nice welcome to the forum many years ago.

Ken

gp · 25th February 2026, 06:39 PM

although fantasy, a spin off series of Game of Thrones, called " A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms "has quite some similarities with the European Middle Ages and most interesting are a couple of special made behind the scens episodes called "A Knight in the Making" on how the series was made from a technical perspective. Nice for forum members are the items related to swords, spears and the like.
I can certainly highly recommand both the series as well as the look behind the screen episodes. Enjoy !

FYI: although a fantasy film, the battle and fighting scenes are quite realistic and not always easy to watch for the faint-hearted

Jim McDougall · 25th February 2026, 07:35 PM

I wanted to thank everybody for all these recent contributions carrying forth this topic. While in movies naturally there is a great deal of license employed in using weapons which may have a degree of basis in factual examples, there is always the potential for a bit of 'flair' to emphasize a certain feel or impact concerning the character(s) or context illustrated.

In art, Rembrandt was of course known for embellishing many of his works with weapons not even remotely in period or context, such as obviously the keris in his Biblical works. However the undulating blade brought the necessary drama into the scene.

I recall watching the movie "Sleepy Hollow" with Christopher Walken as the headless Hessian horseman, with a flamboyant sword which was indeed pretty scary looking. I curiously looked up the cavalry swords in use by the Hessian (Prussian et al) forces of the period in these campaigns and period, of course nothing at all like the 'drama' sword of Walken.

In "Last of the Mohicans" I was intrigued by the blue gunstock war club carried by Russell Means, and wanted to learn more. I reached the late Norm Flayderman, one of the foremost experts on Americana and asked what he knew of the weapon in the movie.
He told me these 'gunstock' clubs (with knife blade) were actually more in use with Plains tribes rather than Woodland, and were not made from old colonial muskets, simply similar in shape. No mention of the unusual blue color scheme.
He told me the name of the Kentucky bladesmith who made these for the studio, who told me they made five of them.

While many movies of the 'fantasy' genre are regarded scornfully by some collectors, it must be remembered that most films and literature employ a certain degree of license (=fantasy) and even those of us who are deeply 'historian' it is important to just enjoy the story

David R · 19th March 2026, 08:39 PM

Swiss Family Robinson 1960 displayed a fair old mix of gear with the pirates. Apparently there were complaints that the oriental pirates looked too Oriental and villainous.

bookandswordblog · 19th March 2026, 09:30 PM

The armoury in Graz, Austria, says that they lent out the collection to the local opera house and amateur theatre troupe in the 19th century.

Bannerman's in New York State had a decent collection in addition to its war surplus arms (ACW to WW I).

Jim McDougall · Yesterday, 03:08 AM

Great entry with that scene from "Swiss Family Robinson" ! Its funny about the complaints on the appearance of the pirates...too 'oriental'? too villainous?
The piracy phenomenon was not by far limited to Europeans, nor to the Caribbean.....the East Indies were rampant with pirates from many ethnic and tribal groups and in these regions, mostly of Asian origins of course.

The pirates operating in the seas from Arabia, to East Africa/Madagascar, the Indian Ocean to Malabar Coast of India were indeed European, mostly British but likely encountered pirates of other nationalities. The Mahratta pirates off Malabar, and there were Arab pirates from Muscat to Yemen.

The point is, pirates were not ALL the cliche' images of Pyle and Wyeth nor the woodcuts from Johnson's work on pirates and others.

The pirates from the 'seven seas'......including 'East Indies' may have included many nationalities and ethnicities, and the entire idea of their costume is psychologically intended.....deliberately to appear threatening and used indiginous weapons that were as diverse as their origins.

I have always been surprised at how widely the Japanese katana was known, throughout SE Asia, China and even the Philippines, so not unusual that there were many such traditional weapons known far out of original contexts, ESPECIALLY in that of pirates.

While not commonly known nor mentioned in most pirate literature, the attraction of 'exotica' including weapons was assuredly present in degree.

Interesting that a movie made in those times (1960) represented the 'pirates' accurately as oriental in character and indeed threatening, rather than fall to the cliche' representations, in my opinion.

Book,
Not surprising that the museum in Graz lent out elements of their huge collections to the opera house, different times and climate and such things would have been held respectfully.

The Bannerman phenomenon is fascinating , and this seemingly eccentric man built a castle on his own island in the Hudson in New York. Beginning with the end of the Civil War, he bought surplus military weapons and material literally by the ton. ...actual mountains of swords etc.
By WWI he had continued these kinds of huge acquisitions from many sources with WWI surplus included.

People found war surplus souvenirs intriguing and bought them as novelties, indirectly beginning the obsession of 'collecting'

and the plight of us all here.......for myself that of a lifetime! of joy and adventures in history.

No doubt whatsoever that many weapons used in films might have come from the hoards of Francis Bannerman.

25th February 2026, 06:39 PM	#62
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 995	although fantasy, a spin off series of Game of Thrones, called " A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms "has quite some similarities with the European Middle Ages and most interesting are a couple of special made behind the scens episodes called "A Knight in the Making" on how the series was made from a technical perspective. Nice for forum members are the items related to swords, spears and the like. I can certainly highly recommand both the series as well as the look behind the screen episodes. Enjoy ! FYI: although a fantasy film, the battle and fighting scenes are quite realistic and not always easy to watch for the faint-hearted Attached Images

19th March 2026, 08:39 PM	#64
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,148	A fair old mix of gear Swiss Family Robinson 1960 displayed a fair old mix of gear with the pirates. Apparently there were complaints that the oriental pirates looked too Oriental and villainous. Attached Images

25th February 2026, 07:35 PM	#63
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,831	I wanted to thank everybody for all these recent contributions carrying forth this topic. While in movies naturally there is a great deal of license employed in using weapons which may have a degree of basis in factual examples, there is always the potential for a bit of 'flair' to emphasize a certain feel or impact concerning the character(s) or context illustrated. In art, Rembrandt was of course known for embellishing many of his works with weapons not even remotely in period or context, such as obviously the keris in his Biblical works. However the undulating blade brought the necessary drama into the scene. I recall watching the movie "Sleepy Hollow" with Christopher Walken as the headless Hessian horseman, with a flamboyant sword which was indeed pretty scary looking. I curiously looked up the cavalry swords in use by the Hessian (Prussian et al) forces of the period in these campaigns and period, of course nothing at all like the 'drama' sword of Walken. In "Last of the Mohicans" I was intrigued by the blue gunstock war club carried by Russell Means, and wanted to learn more. I reached the late Norm Flayderman, one of the foremost experts on Americana and asked what he knew of the weapon in the movie. He told me these 'gunstock' clubs (with knife blade) were actually more in use with Plains tribes rather than Woodland, and were not made from old colonial muskets, simply similar in shape. No mention of the unusual blue color scheme. He told me the name of the Kentucky bladesmith who made these for the studio, who told me they made five of them. While many movies of the 'fantasy' genre are regarded scornfully by some collectors, it must be remembered that most films and literature employ a certain degree of license (=fantasy) and even those of us who are deeply 'historian' it is important to just enjoy the story

19th March 2026, 09:30 PM	#65
bookandswordblog Member Join Date: Mar 2026 Posts: 6	The armoury in Graz, Austria, says that they lent out the collection to the local opera house and amateur theatre troupe in the 19th century. Bannerman's in New York State had a decent collection in addition to its war surplus arms (ACW to WW I).

Yesterday, 03:08 AM	#66
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,831	Great entry with that scene from "Swiss Family Robinson" ! Its funny about the complaints on the appearance of the pirates...too 'oriental'? too villainous? The piracy phenomenon was not by far limited to Europeans, nor to the Caribbean.....the East Indies were rampant with pirates from many ethnic and tribal groups and in these regions, mostly of Asian origins of course. The pirates operating in the seas from Arabia, to East Africa/Madagascar, the Indian Ocean to Malabar Coast of India were indeed European, mostly British but likely encountered pirates of other nationalities. The Mahratta pirates off Malabar, and there were Arab pirates from Muscat to Yemen. The point is, pirates were not ALL the cliche' images of Pyle and Wyeth nor the woodcuts from Johnson's work on pirates and others. The pirates from the 'seven seas'......including 'East Indies' may have included many nationalities and ethnicities, and the entire idea of their costume is psychologically intended.....deliberately to appear threatening and used indiginous weapons that were as diverse as their origins. I have always been surprised at how widely the Japanese katana was known, throughout SE Asia, China and even the Philippines, so not unusual that there were many such traditional weapons known far out of original contexts, ESPECIALLY in that of pirates. While not commonly known nor mentioned in most pirate literature, the attraction of 'exotica' including weapons was assuredly present in degree. Interesting that a movie made in those times (1960) represented the 'pirates' accurately as oriental in character and indeed threatening, rather than fall to the cliche' representations, in my opinion. Book, Not surprising that the museum in Graz lent out elements of their huge collections to the opera house, different times and climate and such things would have been held respectfully. The Bannerman phenomenon is fascinating , and this seemingly eccentric man built a castle on his own island in the Hudson in New York. Beginning with the end of the Civil War, he bought surplus military weapons and material literally by the ton. ...actual mountains of swords etc. By WWI he had continued these kinds of huge acquisitions from many sources with WWI surplus included. People found war surplus souvenirs intriguing and bought them as novelties, indirectly beginning the obsession of 'collecting' and the plight of us all here.......for myself that of a lifetime! of joy and adventures in history. No doubt whatsoever that many weapons used in films might have come from the hoards of Francis Bannerman.