How large is a typical sword collection?

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

I'm not sure one can define what a "typical" sword collection is, but I am just wondering roughly how many swords the members here have collected over the years. I have friends who own many hundreds, and sometimes even thousands of pocket watches, but swords take up a lot more room than watches. (My own watch collection was never that large, as I have focused on quality and I have chosen to specialize on particular scarce kinds of watches. It is fewer than 60 pieces today.) I inherited six swords from a late friend last year and have added seven since then, so I am now up to thirteen. But do most of the folks here count their collections in dozens, scores, or hundreds?

 

[Dbackfed29]

Jim Brown had well over 300 in his collection. I'm at 3. I think it really depends on what you collect and your budget.

 

[John Hartwell]

"Typical"?
Somewhere between 0 and 1.

 

[gjpratt]

Optimal is N+1, where N equals the number of swords already in the collection.

I have 40 but I'm not sure where that is on the typicality scale. I have been collecting for over 40 years.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

Optimal is N+1, where N equals the number of swords already in the collection.

I have 40 but I'm not sure where that is on the typicality scale. I have been collecting for over 40 years.

Do you collect mostly named or unnamed swords? All but one of the swords I've bought myself are named. That will hold the size of my collection down, but I really enjoy researching the provenances.

I once gave the exact same N+1 answer to a question on a different message board about pocket watch collecting. But I wasn't asking about "optimal". I wouldn't even know how to define that.

 

[gjpratt]

I am about 50/50 presentation/identified to unidentified. I like the former for the same reasons you do..

Folks here who went to the 2023 Muster or my BGES tours have seen some of my identified swords. There may even be a photo or two in the deep archives..I have occasionally posted a few of my unidentified swords here.

 

[Rhea Cole]

I only have four swords that I use for living history programs. They are all reproductions.

Of far more interest is the Hotel Des Invalides in Paris.

 

[bobinwmass]

I had over 50 before I started selling them off, so probably have 20-25 now. I had been adding the various different types of US swords from 1832 through 1865, mostly unidentified. I've decided to keep those that were used by the Boston National Lancers since I have a large Lancers collection of uniforms, photos, etc. (so I have three of their early Model 1833 sabers with brass scabbards, and a Model 1833 and Model 1840 with "MS" Massachusetts markings). I also kept those that I know were used by Massachusetts officers during the Civil War period (have five of those).

 

[66Jayhawk]

I have roughly 25+ swords now (too lazy to go count), and I've sold off at least a dozen over the years. I started buying anything I could that I thought was cool, started limiting my collection to new world swords (mainly American, but a couple from Mexico and one from Cuba), and now am really focusing on swords that would have been in use between the French Indian wars and the early federal period. Zero presentation swords, mainly sought after makers (several Ames, Horstmann, Starr for example) but several cuttoes/hunting swords with no maker name, an espada ancha of course unmarked, etc.

Eric

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

I only have four swords that I use for living history programs. They are all reproductions.

Of far more interest is the Hotel Des Invalides in Paris.

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I see quite a few nice rapiers in there. I have three, myself, all inherited from a friend's estate.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

I had over 50 before I started selling them off, so probably have 20-25 now. I had been adding the various different types of US swords from 1832 through 1865, mostly unidentified. I've decided to keep those that were used by the Boston National Lancers since I have a large Lancers collection of uniforms, photos, etc. (so I have three of their early Model 1833 sabers with brass scabbards, and a Model 1833 and Model 1840 with "MS" Massachusetts markings). I also kept those that I know were used by Massachusetts officers during the Civil War period (have five of those).

I have three swords that were made in Massachusetts, one of which is an Ames Model 1850 Field & Staff Officer's sword that was presented to Major Joseph Colburn of the 13th and 59th MA Infantry. The other two are a Roby Model 1860 cavalry saber dated 1863 and a gladius style Model 1832 artilleryman's sword by Ames dated 1836.

 

[CowCavalry]

Not ACW related, but are any of you familar with Johann Strobleberger? I have had a sword in my possession for 24 years, given to me by and old friend long gone. I recently found it again and determined the above mentioned was a German manufacturer of swords.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

Not ACW related, but are any of you familar with Johann Strobleberger? I have had a sword in my possession for 24 years, given to me by and old friend long gone. I recently found it again and determined the above mentioned was a German manufacturer of swords.

There were many German swordsmiths. Solingen has been famous for them since the middle ages, I believe. But my knowledge of German smiths is limited, and I hadn't heard of Strobleberger. What style of sword is it? What time period is it from? Can you show a picture?

 

[bobinwmass]

I have three swords that were made in Massachusetts, one of which is an Ames Model 1850 Field & Staff Officer's sword that was presented to Major Joseph Colburn of the 13th and 59th MA Infantry. The other two are a Roby Model 1860 cavalry saber dated 1863 and a gladius style Model 1832 artilleryman's sword by Ames dated 1836.

My Roby dated 1863, one of the 1208 ordered by the state of Massachusetts that year. It is attached to a Gaylord made belt with Massachusetts plate and sword knot. Massachusetts ordered 1208 sets of those to go with the sabers.

 

[R. Porter]

My German sword book lists Johann Stroblberger (without an "e" after the "l") in Munich from 1820 to 1846.

My sword collection is big. I haven't counted it, but it has between 25 and 30 JBA swords as a small part of it.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

My Roby dated 1863, one of the 1208 ordered by the state of Massachusetts that year. It is attached to a Gaylord made belt with Massachusetts plate and sword knot. Massachusetts ordered 1208 sets of those to go with the sabers.

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Do we know which units those 1208 sabers went to?

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

My German sword book lists Johann Stroblberger (without an "e" after the "l") in Munich from 1820 to 1846.

My sword collection is big. I haven't counted it, but it has between 25 and 30 JBA swords as a small part of it.

Kindly say the author and title of your German sword book. Thanks.

 

[R. Porter]

German Swords and Sword Makers, Edged Weapon Makers from the 14th to the 20th Centuries, by Richard H. Bezdek.

 

[bobinwmass]

Do we know which units those 1208 sabers went to?

These sabers (with the circular Roby maker mark) and related items were ordered to equip the new independent companies of militia that Massachusetts was raising to replace those that had gone off to war. These companies were to help preserve order and resist any attack within the state, so these sabers likely never left Massachusetts. It is interesting to note that Christopher Roby became the troop commander of the company raised in his area. In 1863 Massachusetts had also ordered Spencer carbines for these companies, so they would have been well armed, but the State acquiesced the carbines to the Federal government for use in the war at its request.

 

[gjpratt]

That is a wonderful set and display @bobinwmass. Props!

Mine are all locked away in a vault.