Records of the Medieval Sword Paperback – January 2, 1991

Buy it

The late Ewart Oakeshott was without doubt the world's foremost expert on medieval swords. In "Records of the Medieval Sword" Oakeshott expounds on his earlier works which span some fifty years of study. His method of classification of medieval swords from the Viking era up to the sixteenth century is the world norm today, and the many fascinating pictures, descriptions, and drawings of the most rare and precious specimens from collections all over the world are a must-have for the student of medieval arms. Whether collector, blade smith, European martial artist or historian, Oakeshott's work is an indispensable reference in the study of medieval arms history. His descriptions of the individual known specimens are detailed and thorough, and make for a good source of reference, while his last entry, an article on the disputed authenticity of a sword of Edward III reads like a detective story. The detailed x-ray pictures, close-up photographs, and lab reports in respect of the sword's examination make you not want to put the book down, but read on to find out if this controversial sword is a fake, or indeed the real thing.

An excellent book by Ewart Oakshott, I purchased this book as an adjunct to the medieval swords by Oakshott. It is highly recommended with others making a set that covers the end of the Roman Empire in the west through to the beginnings of the rennaisance. This volume covers the classic medieval sword recommended reading if your interested in swords and the history of their evolution and designLoaded with pictures and diagrams showing the Oakshott sword classification, want to know the difference between a type XIII and a XXa? This book is for you

Excellent reference work.

Great book full of pictures explaining the Oakeshott classifying system.

The book contents are fabulous and I highly recommend. The condition I received the book in is far from fabulous, however. The first time I got the book, it arrived with a ripped spine and dented corners. I asked for a replacement. The replacement was sent in good time and in better packaging, but it also arrived damaged. This time one corner was indented so all the pages had a strange crease in them and the edges of the book had some light fraying. This book is usable, but I am pretty disappointed paying full price for a new book and getting used quality twice in a row. I would return it again, but who knows what condition I would get.

An absolute must for any student of Historical European Martial Arts, or anyone interested in European Swords. This book is an outstanding book for reference. Love having it in my home library and for use in my Historical European Martial Arts school.

All I can say is that this book is full of sword knowledge. An excellent text book as well as reference book for when you can't sleep in the middle of the night due to tossing and turning over a question about a medieval sword. Totally recommend it!