Sword Question?

[Doc Hudson]

[QUOTE=jkdesq]

Balderdash!!

If you read my post, I was only bringing forth an aspect of this silly sword idea for discussion. If you note, I posed questions, not answers. I see no reason to call it "balderdash!!"

To comment on your point: my understanding of British Victorian and Edwardian culture, I find it difficult to believe that just any man could put a sword on and go prancing out to Balmoral Castle to visit the Queen. Certainly, anyone who donned a sword would have needed some sort of claim to nobility or a high office. The Victorians and Edwardians took class distinctions very seriously. It is not believable that swords were simply very large accouterments available, like cufflinks, for all to wear.

I would suggest that the more likely view is that the sword, by Victorian times, was part of certain army or state uniforms. A military officer might wear one with his brushes and a governor might wear one with his ostrich feather hat. I find the idea that, say, a Victorian banker (with or without noble ancestors) or the Governor of Hong Kong would wear a sword with his tuxedo to going see the latest G&S completely unbelievable.

"Restrictions"? We are talking about fashion and class appropriate apparel. These are things governed by law but by convention. From a conventions point of view, a Victorian who donned a sword with out noble pretensions or a high office would be seen as a, to use a modern term, a poser.

By the way, I'm writing from Canada, where Her Majesty has granted us freedoms similar to Americans but where we still, to some extent, pay attention to the charms of the old world.

If that is a prelude to a challenge to a duel, be aware that even though contrary to Mississippi State Law, I will accept. I will stipulate that weapons will be fresh cowpies at 10 feet.

Also please note that I said:

Up until the Victorian Age, the well-dressed gentleman's formalware included a sword of some sort, which type varied with the era and the location.

It is my understanding that right up until the reign of William IV or possibly George IV, a small sword was part of formal court dress.

Even in earlier times, as far back as the Norman Conquest, many non-nobles bore the sword. Sargeants, who were not knights, and were not noble were not only armed with sword but they were mounted troops as well.

Even in the Victorian Era, I doubt if a gentleman wearing a sword would have gotten more than odd glances and earned a reputation as being an odd duck wearing the acouterments of an earlier era, and that the constabulary would only have taken notice if he's drawn the sword and started acting in a belligerent or threatening manner.

Oh, and the exact comment that brough the balderdash comment was this one, from you:
[QUOTE]I am aware that, historically, only members of the nobility could wear a sword. It was inappropriate for non-nobles to wear a sword.[/QUOTE}

BTW, my seconds will have enough experience with fresh cowpies that you won't have a chance of running in dried ones into my sack. :-P