Studying antique weaponry connects us to the people and events that shaped today’s world and, even though they are now obsolete, they retain powerful symbolism and, often, great artistic merit. This website aims to help educate those who wish to expand their knowledge regarding arms and armour, avoid forgeries, and learn how to care for and identify items. I’m proud to say that I host the only English language source for Italian swords of the 1800s: La Sciabola.

I had a dream of being a dealer but ill health has prevented that, sadly, so I have converted this website into an educational one - if it proves useful then please consider supporting the work on Patreon or buying merchandise to help offset my costs. You can read free articles here or connect with me on Instagram where I run @antique_steel.

Due to limited funds and space, I have to sell items from my collection (see the sales section). If you’re interested in making a purchase then please use the contact form to send me a message.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy your stay.

Latest Free Articles

Patreon

Helping the historical arms and armour community is a passion of mine, with this website growing over the years to reflect this. I’m proud that it now hosts many important free resources for beginners and veterans alike. Sadly, the hosting costs, the writing and researching of articles, the source-buying, and the illustration-making all require a lot of time and money, which, as a disabled person, can be hard to come by, so I recently established a Patreon to help out. On Patreon, supporters can play a vital role in communities that are otherwise overlooked, like this one. By becoming my patron and adding your support you get access to a growing archive of articles, interviews, case studies, competitions and guides. You can help out from as little as £1 (or $1) and there is no commitment involved. Your support really makes a difference to me. For more details, and a full list of what’s currently in the archive, see here.

To become a patron head over to Patreon.

Thank you for your consideration.