Military Officer - January 2006 - (Page 58)

knowledgeable collectors who are happy to talk to you and recommend how to start or add to your collections. Handle, Inspect As you continue with your reading and other research, you will want to handle and inspect pieces — certainly before you buy any, as they’re generally sold in “as-is” condition. What does a dagger really look and feel like? Is it something you want to collect? What is the condition of the blade? Is there a sheath or scabbard? Does it ﬁt the blade? Is it original to the piece? Is anything missing? Has anything been added? There are several venues for hands-on inspection. Museums. The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., has an extensive edged-weapon collection, as do the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.; and other museums worldwide. Some will let you handle pieces by prior arrangement. Shows. Edged-weapon and militaria shows may provide the best opportunities to learn about edged weapons. You can get a better appreciation of the beauty and attraction of edged weapons at a show. Hard-to-ﬁnd books often are available at shows, and you might ﬁnd old catalogs and price guides. These guides can give you an idea of how pieces have appreciated in price over the years. For example, a James Conning Staff and Field Ofﬁcer’s Sword (a Confederate weapon) that listed for $1,000 in 1979, had a price tag of $15,000 at a Civil War show in Richmond, Va., in 2005! Shows can introduce you to categories you never thought of. For example, some people collect only dug weapons (weapons that are excavated). They might look dirty, rusty, and deteriorated, but they are intriguing pieces of history. At this same Richmond show, dug Civil War pocketknives listed from $1 to $9. Shops. You can handle, inspect, and purchase at a shop. Go to knowledgeable, reputable dealers. Recommendations from those you’ve met in the collecting circuit, dealers’ years and level of experience, and willingness to guarantee a piece can help you determine whether a dealer is reputable. Once you gain more experience, you also might want to try general antique shops to ﬁnd collectable edged weapons. The American Navy adopted its sword from the British and French. One distinguishing feature of American swords is the eagle on the pommel (far left). A British sword might have a lion’s mask or other design. Other naval edged weapons include the cutlass, dirk, and pike. This sword (near left) was presented to Union Gen. Henry W. Lawton by the men of his regiment as a token of confidence and respect on March 4, 1865. PHOTOS: FAR LEFT, COURTESY PETER TUITE; NEAR LEFT, ARMED FORCES HISTORY, DIVISION OF HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY 19th Century Naval sword: Presentation sword:

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Contents Features Departments From the Editor Chairman's Page Board of Directors Nominations Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Member Books Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: On the Edge Storm Stories Our Brilliant, Bloody Future eXtreme Seniors Pages of History Information Exchange MOAA Scholarship Donors Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps MOAA Member Services Encore

Military Officer - January 2006

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