To see and touch an edged weapon is to examine a work of art and a piece of history.  Imagine the possibilities for collecting them.

By Gina DiNicolo

Paul Sinor grew up in Jonesboro, Ga., a rural town about 20 miles from Atlanta. While he worked the fields of his family’s farm, he would find bullets, grapeshot, and other relics from the Civil War. Sinor’s family had emigrated from Holland during the early 19th century, and he can trace his roots to numerous soldiers who fought for the South. Early on, Sinor developed a fascination with memorabilia from the Confederacy. “At first, I thought it was just junk that we found. Then I discovered whatit was and the story behind each piece. I’ve been hooked since then.”

Sinor picked up his first edged weapon, a Confederate “D” Guard Bowie knife, from a friend who dug it up not far from Jonesboro. “It was the first complete one I had ever seen that had been dug. Of course, it was rusty and pitted, but it was real. I was holding history in my hands.” He now has a number of edged weapons in his collection. Sinor likes to find his pieces from other collectors and reputable dealers and says, “Once you start collecting, you’ll know where to look.”

Sinor’s daughter, Victoria, used to accompany her father to shows. “I hated them at first, but I really got into the edged weapons when I saw a ‘hooker’s dagger,’ which is the small dagger prostitutes would strap around their thighs or slip in their boots. So lethal, so useful, and so sexy. Really mysterious,” she says. Victoria has struck off on her own to find pieces for her collection, and now has five such daggers. “You could say I’m a second-generation collector,” she says. “My dad even gave me a dagger one year for Christmas.”

Lt. Col. Rudy Schulz, USA-Ret., is a Californian by birth. Schulz’s father fought in World War II — for the German Waffen SS — as a 16-year-old. Schulz’s grandfather died fighting as a German soldier in Croatia. For this reason, Schulz developed a keen interest in the Third Reich, collecting German militaria in general, with a certain affinity for edged weapons. “I find that through my collecting, I am in touch not just with world history but [with my] family history as well.”

Schulz’s first edged weapon was a German hunting knife, a “Baerentoeter” (Bear Slayer). It is
a child’s piece given to him by his uncle.

Schulz’s collection has grown to include a Hitler Youth Knife, several German army World War II bayonets, and a couple of 19th century Prussian cavalry sabers, to name a few. He says, “Some might consider this a small collection, but I love it, and it has been a good base for adding [to] when I see something that I want at the right price. They are my pieces of history.”

A collector of Confederate memorabilia from the rural south, a West Coast German militaria collector, and a young woman fascinated by hooker daggers — the world of edged weapons spans generations, geography, and gender. Arguably, it is one of the most alluring areas of weapon collection.

Historic symbols

Edged weapons are historical works of art — lethal objects of beauty with a story to tell. More than just a weapon, edged weapons have long been symbols of honor, courage, and authority. King Arthur’s legendary sword, Excalibur, was the symbol of his kingship, while its scabbard protected the bearer from harm. The samurai swords of Japan were revered and considered the very soul of the samurai. Even today, officers and enlisted members of the military services possess uniform swords.

Edged weapons date to the end of the Stone Age. In fact, bronze weapons might have predated stone, as stone weapons simply were not practical. Early examples have been found in Egypt and Scandinavia. Their popularity rose during the Bronze Age and quickly took on what one might consider their modern appearance. A dagger from 1500 BC looks much like those fashioned in 1500 AD.

Because edged weapons have been around for so long and span such a wide range of historic periods and events, the options for collecting them are seemingly endless. Whatever your interests, whatever your budget, there is probably an edged weapon to meet your collecting goals or to satisfy that gotta-have-one desire.

Successful collecting

Bob Cammaroto, co-owner of the Web-based Excelsior Brigade, a company dealing in Civil War memorabilia, notes that collectors normally develop some theme to their collections. For example, American naval presentation swords of the 19th century or World War II fighting knives give a collection a focus.

Successful collecting takes work and, more specifically, research. For a true collector, the continuous quest for knowledge is itself rewarding. This is clear when talking with enthusiastic collectors and dealers, as they love their subject and are happy to share their knowledge.
Cammaroto recommends four common-sense steps to take before laying down money for an edged weapon. He uses the acronym RHIP: research, handle and inspect an edged weapon, and only then purchase.

Research

Successful collecting means continuous research. An understanding of edged weapons, their history, and the many types is a good start.

Some nonmilitary organizations also have issued edged weapons. For example, fraternal organizations such as the Masons and Knights of Pythias have produced swords, with their style and decoration representative of a member’s rank within the organization. During the Third Reich, millions of edged weapons were produced for roughly 20 organizations. Political party daggers and the Hitler Youth knives are examples of nonmilitary edged weapons.

Collectors can research different kinds of edged weapons using books and the Internet; visiting dealers, collectors, museums, shows, and shops; and handling and inspecting the weapons directly.

Books. Choose an area that interests you — by weapon type, historical period, war era, country, or manufacturer. Chances are good that there is at least one book about the weapon you want to collect.

Books about edged weapons can be found at general libraries, military libraries, museums, and on the Internet. One of the best places to find good resource books is at edged-weapon or militaria shows.

One of the best resource examples is Thomas M. Johnson’s eight-volume series Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich. Johnson published his first volume when he was an Army officer. Not only does he cover the weapons, but he also gives sound advice about collecting. For example, Johnson recommends collectors obtain the original sales catalog for a particular weapon when possible. The photographs and descriptions in the catalogs are invaluable and show exactly how a particular piece looked and the correct accessories that went with the piece.

Internet. The Internet offers an abundance of information, but surfer beware! Not all of the information on the Web is accurate. Still, the Internet is a valuable resource for reading and viewing photographs and finding other collectors, dealers, shows, books, etcetera.

Dealers and collectors. Talk to dealers and other collectors. Talk to everyone you can at shows as well as people outside the show circuit. Ask around and you will find reputable, 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.

As you begin to explore all of these options for learning about edged weapons, you’ll find the more knowledgeable you are, the more rewarding your experience will be.

Purchasing

Once you have a good idea of what you want, work toward making a purchase. You should continue your research throughout the process. As you explore pieces to purchase, consider the condition of the weapon. Some collectors only want pieces in top shape. Others are fine with a piece showing use and age. Prices should reflect condition accordingly. Do you care who owned the piece? If you want a weapon with provenance, you probably will pay considerably more than for just an anonymous person’s blade. Provenance is ironclad proof of the ownership history of an item — supported by photos or written documentation. A simple declaration that someone’s great-grandfather used the sword at Gettysburg is not sufficient.

Cammaroto emphasizes the distinction between authentic and original. An original piece is original to its period. Authentic pieces may be true to form, but they could have been manufactured last year. Beware of the term “authentic,” and press the dealer for more information.

As you continue through the purchasing process, be aware that even reputable dealers make mistakes, and a few less-than-perfect dealers are out there. Some good reproductions of popular models are on the market. Reproductions, bought and sold as such, are legitimate areas of collection. Reproductions bought and sold as originals, however, are fakes. Areas where fakes are most prevalent include Civil War swords, Third Reich daggers, and Napoleonic swords and sabers. Good fakes can fool even top experts on occasion.

Once you become a collector, you are likely to make a mistake. You may not buy a fake, but you may miss something on a blade you wish you had caught, for example. Mistakes are not a bad thing, because collectors rarely make the same mistake twice — you’ll learn quite a bit from the simplest of errors. Accept that you will make mistakes. They will make you a better collector — and they make for great stories.

Consider making your first purchases from reputable dealers, who are often at shows. Reputable dealers normally will guarantee their weapons and should allow you to return a piece after a reasonable period if you are not pleased. Dealers want their customers to be happy. Your relationship with some dealers may continue for your entire collecting career.

You can make some great finds at auctions and estate sales once you’re an experienced collector. This is where research, handling, inspecting, and experience can prove invaluable.

The Internet is good for research, but online auctions and other Internet sales venues are not recommended because you typically cannot handle and inspect the pieces.

Remain flexible

Over time, you might change your collecting goals. According to Paul Sinor, the collector of Confederate memorabilia, if you have bought well, you can sell or trade pieces from your collection for those you’d rather have. Also, if you see an odd piece that you know is a good value and item of interest, go ahead and buy it. You can always sell or trade it later.

No matter your interests, no matter your budget, there is an edged weapon for you. Remember RHIP. Have fun, and happy collecting.