Valentino's Collection of Oriental Arms

Battara · 21st May 2007, 06:27 PM

Interesting - didn't know he was interested........Is there a catalog somewhere?

B.I · 21st May 2007, 06:48 PM

Unfortunately not. Only the original 1920s auction catalogue which lists each item, but with only a small handful of images (not much more than I have already shown).
Shame as his collection (European as well as Oriental) was fairly extensive.
This catalogue also lists his properties (inc the Falcons Lair), his horses, hunting dogs, art, film costmes etc.

Jim McDougall · 21st May 2007, 08:56 PM

Hi B.I.
Thats fantastic! and not at all surprising with his presence in portraying exotic characters. Southern California in those early years with the beginnings of the movie industry actually stockpiled tons of props, costumes and weaponry, much of it actually authentic. I recall in the late 60's that some weapons collectors hit the jackpot when some of the movie studios unloaded some of the heaps of these weapons held in boxes in prop departments. I'm sure that Valentino got his pick of many of these.
Best regards,
Jim

ariel · 21st May 2007, 09:26 PM

Valentino was a star of "exotic" movies, and often appeared as "sheikh" or suchlike. Probably he either got genuinely fascinated by the "oriental" exotica or just cultivated an "oriental" persona: kind of public relations shtick

Is Johnny Depp collecting Caribbean pirate stuff?

Interesting where all these pieces went....

Tim Simmons · 21st May 2007, 09:36 PM

Ooooh !!! pierce my heart ducky.

Jeff D · 22nd May 2007, 03:45 AM

Oooh... a stab in my side.

I bought this dussage in the late 90's, it was said to be an ex-Valentino. Turns out the blade is old (maybe) but the hilt was E.B Erickson's work that someone artificially aged. Oh well Eljay's work sells for about the same that i paid.

.

All the best.
Jeff

B.I · 22nd May 2007, 12:12 PM

The sale was in 1926, in Hollywood. The collection was seen by the curator of the Met (most likely Bashford Dean) and someone called 'Charles of London', who both remarked of the rarity and importance of some of the pieces. From the listings, it seems he was more a collector, than a passing orientalist during a time when being so was fashionable.
I have a few more images of the European arms, which I will scan and post.

22nd May 2007, 03:45 AM	#6
Jeff D Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 473	Oooh... a stab in my side. I bought this dussage in the late 90's, it was said to be an ex-Valentino. Turns out the blade is old (maybe) but the hilt was E.B Erickson's work that someone artificially aged. Oh well Eljay's work sells for about the same that i paid. . All the best. Jeff Attached Images

21st May 2007, 06:27 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,323	Interesting - didn't know he was interested........Is there a catalog somewhere?

21st May 2007, 06:48 PM	#2
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	Unfortunately not. Only the original 1920s auction catalogue which lists each item, but with only a small handful of images (not much more than I have already shown). Shame as his collection (European as well as Oriental) was fairly extensive. This catalogue also lists his properties (inc the Falcons Lair), his horses, hunting dogs, art, film costmes etc.

21st May 2007, 08:56 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,585	Hi B.I. Thats fantastic! and not at all surprising with his presence in portraying exotic characters. Southern California in those early years with the beginnings of the movie industry actually stockpiled tons of props, costumes and weaponry, much of it actually authentic. I recall in the late 60's that some weapons collectors hit the jackpot when some of the movie studios unloaded some of the heaps of these weapons held in boxes in prop departments. I'm sure that Valentino got his pick of many of these. Best regards, Jim

21st May 2007, 09:26 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Valentino was a star of "exotic" movies, and often appeared as "sheikh" or suchlike. Probably he either got genuinely fascinated by the "oriental" exotica or just cultivated an "oriental" persona: kind of public relations shtick Is Johnny Depp collecting Caribbean pirate stuff? Interesting where all these pieces went....

21st May 2007, 09:36 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,890	Ooooh !!! pierce my heart ducky.

22nd May 2007, 12:12 PM	#7
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	The sale was in 1926, in Hollywood. The collection was seen by the curator of the Met (most likely Bashford Dean) and someone called 'Charles of London', who both remarked of the rarity and importance of some of the pieces. From the listings, it seems he was more a collector, than a passing orientalist during a time when being so was fashionable. I have a few more images of the European arms, which I will scan and post.