Persian shamshir destroyed by USPS!!!

[Lee]

I expect that even an adequate insurance reimbursement will not fully cure that sickening feeling down in the gut. It would be interesting to know how this damage was achieved. Perhaps it was sticking out on one side of a forklift load and whammed into a structural support?

I have had one return from Lew's estate sale and the re-used packaging had a kink just like that. The repacking had omitted the tip restraint it had departed with and so the tip was sticking out of one end by about ¾ of an inch. Remarkably, I am happy to report the keris penjang inside was entirely intact and there were no blood stains.

I have some nicely made custom wooden air freight crates, as well as segments of heavy plastic pipe up in the attic left over from inbound shipments and such packaging might have saved this sword. However, I doubt many would be enthusiastic about the added costs, except for the most valuable shipments.