Thanks I.P.,
Actually guys making reproductions OFTEN are pretty well versed in the original forms and examples, and take care to follow the historic character of them. In this respect there is a certain merit to discussing these elements from a historic standpoint, however it is important to focus on these factors more than the production process of the reproduced example.
One of the reasons we have followed this policy here is to avoid the matters in certain other forums which became commercially oriented trade show venues for reproduction vendors.
How good these guys were is best reflected in the case of my good friend the late Eljay Erickson, who was probably one of the foremost restorers and reproduction craftsmen of 18th century swords and basket hilts. We were friends in the 70s and collected these, with him always crafting parts to repair and restore examples. We went separate ways and years later it turned out he had become a great artisan in restoring as well as crafting reproduction swords.
Integrity was important to him and he always initialed his work which was otherwise extremely difficult to tell from authentic weapons. In a thread on a forum, one sword being discussed had consternation about which regiment had likely used it in the Revolution. Imagine the chagrin when Eljay revealed he had made the sword just years before!
I tried to contact him recently, but sadly he had passed. For me he was the epitome of a true sword researcher, craftsman and connoisseur, and the guy I went to with conundrums regarding the history of these swords.
There are always many sides to a story.
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