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matthewforde.bsky.social
@matthewforde.bsky.social
120 followers 84 following 51 posts
⚔️Historical arms and armour writer.
📖Author of La Sciabola: 19th Century Italian Swords.
👇Educational articles, free guides and more.
Www.fordemilitaryantiques.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
matthewforde.bsky.social
Another original Wilkinson Sword print. Support the work on Patreon and unlock a large archive of guides, tips, reviews and articles.
www.patreon.com/matthewforde

Visit the website for free resources:
www.fordemilitaryantiques.com

#antiques #history #heritage #swords #skystorians #swordtember #🗃️
September 2, 2025 at 8:02 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A Scottish claymore presentation sword, from an original illustration by Wilkinson Sword.

🗃️ #swordtember #swords #history #britishhistory #heritage #metalwork #weaponry
A vintage or antique illustration of a Scottish sword hilt and scabbard. The silvered guard has a red material liner and the scabbard has gold mounts.
August 26, 2025 at 6:07 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A special presentation sword by Wilkinson.

Join Patreon to unlock an archive of guides, reviews and articles. www.patreon.com/matthewforde

Visit the website for free resources:
www.fordemilitaryantiques.com

#antiques #history #heritage #royalcollection #museum #historical #swords #coronation
August 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
An Italian!
August 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A close-up of the bowl-shaped guard of a British cavalry officer's sword. Pattern 1912.

#militaryhistory #swords #britishhistory #cavalry #antique #henrywilkinson
A sword guard, up close. The guard is steel and the handle is shagreen, in grey.
August 23, 2025 at 4:42 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
😎😎
August 21, 2025 at 6:39 AM
matthewforde.bsky.social
Some of the sentences and crimes of inmates in Beaumaris Gaol. Harsh or fair?

#historians #historical
August 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
Shares appreciated!

My first FREE article has just been published on my Patreon! The Dark History of Beaumaris Gaol explores a 19th century prison on the ancient isle of Anglesey.

www.patreon.com/matthewforde

Visit the website:
www.fordemilitaryantiques.com
#history #heritage #museum #historical
A 19th century prison entrance. Thick stone and iron bars. Looking down, cast iron stairs and tight walkways. Outside, the Gaol looks rather pleasant: green grass and clean brickwork. The whipping room!
August 19, 2025 at 9:06 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
New article available for patrons - Nino Bixio: Italy's Angriest Swordfighter.

Www.patreon.com/matthewforde

#history #swords #storia #risorgimento #sabre #garibaldi #bixio #imille
A sepia portrait of an Italian general named Bixio - he leans against a pillar and wears military uniform.
August 15, 2025 at 9:04 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
Check out the exceptional, stormy pattern-welded blade on the antique sword I just posted in this video.

Support the work on Patreon and access the large archive of articles:
www.patreon.com/matthewforde

Visit the website for free resources:
www.fordemilitaryantiques.com

#swords #weapons #history
July 25, 2025 at 10:23 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A nice example of a proper Indian fighter's historical sword, probably from the 1700s. A simple, but well made hilt, coupled with a beautifully pattern-welded blade.

Patreon archive:
www.patreon.com/matthewforde

Free resources:
www.fordemilitaryantiques.com

#india #heritage #history #tulwar
A steel Indian sword with a wide pommel can be seen against a wooden floor.
July 25, 2025 at 10:20 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
My first YouTube video! There is still a lot to be refined and learned but, if you love history then hopefully you will enjoy it.

youtu.be/kaJM7Zw3-r4

#history #daggers #hunting #victoriana #militaria #empire #india #salem #arnachellum
A YouTube thumbnail, showing an antique hunting dagger with a steel blade and antler handle.
July 16, 2025 at 5:45 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A Sumatran shield called a peurise teumaga. This is more of a buckler, and likely later in date than some sources claim. It's heavy, cast.

#shields #armsandarmor #swords #history #weaponry #heritage
A brass (copper alloy) shield from Sumatra. It's round with seven bosses circled by star motifs.
May 11, 2025 at 8:16 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
I'm pretty much banned on IG now, so here is a favourite sword from the Royal Armouries - a 1560-dated killic. The fine details and crucible steel blade were beautiful to behold.

Patreon goodies:
www.patreon.com/matthewforde

Free resources:
www.fordemilitaryantiques.com

#swords #history #heritage
An historical gold inlaid sword hilt in a museum cabinet. A scabbard mounting with inlays. Crucible steel patterns, swirling.
May 4, 2025 at 1:44 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
An early basket-hilted backsword, a swept-hilt rapier, a main gauche dagger, and a gorgeous cup-hilted rapier.

Support the work on Patreon and access the large archive of articles:
www.patreon.com/matthewforde

#sword #swords #history #heritage #metasucks #historical
An antique sword on a red background in the Royal Armouries Museum. An antique rapier on a red background in the Royal Armouries Museum. An antique dagger on a red background in the Royal Armouries Museum. An antique sword on a red background in the Royal Armouries Museum.
April 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
Several antique Victorian swords patterns - 1821, 1845, 1857, 1897.

#swords #weaponry #history #heritage #hoplology
Four sword hits in a cabinet, against a white background. Two are gilded brass and two are steel.
April 12, 2025 at 2:10 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
Likely from the 1600s or 1700s, this Indian dagger has a crucible steel wavy blade and an ivory handle with silver flowers.

Support the work on Patreon:
www.patreon.com/matthewforde

#dagger #sword #antiques #armsandarmor #indianhistory #mughal #weaponry #history #antiquities
An unusually shaped dagger-hilt can be seen against a white background. It has a beige handle and silver flower.
March 11, 2025 at 9:43 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A new Patreon article is now available, looking at the famous Birmingham sword maker Charles Reeves. #history #swords #birmingham #englishhistory #heritage

www.patreon.com/matthewforde
A variety of Victorian adverts and images associated with Charles Reeves.
March 5, 2025 at 9:53 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A new display for this original Colt 1851 Pistol. The stand was from an old monitor and I 3D printed a magnetic interface and plaque for it.

#3dprinting #samcolt #heritage #history #gunpowder #historians #museums #revolvers #19thc #victorian
An antique pistol is held up by a black plastic stand.
February 11, 2025 at 9:09 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
An interesting historical fake, found during my research into Giuseppe Garibaldi's swords. It's meant to be Garibaldi, wounded after the Battle of Aspromonte, and seen with an Austrian sword - but it isn't him, alas, it is an actor. Sources often cite this as genuine.

#history #swords #italy #sabre
An actor, posing as Giuseppe Garibaldi, wounded after the Battle of Aspromonte.
February 7, 2025 at 6:47 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A fine steel Persian axehead I cleaned up for a collector. Likely from the early 1800s, this showed a facetted shaft, carved blades and an interesting pattern welding to the steel.

#axes #antiques #weapons #history #armsandarmor #heritage #persia #hoplology #axe #ax #antiqueweaponry
A crescent-shaped all-steel axehead, photographed against a blurred background. The head shows carved Arabic script.
January 28, 2025 at 9:32 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
Happy holidays from me (and this antique 1803 Pattern Sabre, marked to King George III and the Rifles) to all celebrating at this time. 🎉🎉🎉

#sabres #napoleonic #peninsularwar #swords #sharpe #antiques #history #heritage #museum
December 24, 2024 at 6:53 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A before and after photo of a recent clean-up of an antique Indian 'tulwar' sword. This example was probably from the 1700s and was covered in thick sheet silver. It was meticulously cleaned and sealed with microcrystalline wax.

#tulwar #tulwars #swords #historyfeed #heritage #silverwork #shaster
A dark handled Indian sword lies on a table. A cleaned and bright sword handle against a white background.
December 17, 2024 at 2:31 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
An old shot of part of my collection. These are all antiques, from many martial cultures, and centuries past.

#kukri #katar #daggers #antiques #spears #ankus #jambiya #shibrya #bowieknife #history #heritage #arms #mughal
A small cabinet, filled with antique daggers and knives, curios and books and fossils.
December 14, 2024 at 10:17 PM
matthewforde.bsky.social
A 'lantaka' - a swivel cannon associated with piracy and Malaysia (and so on).

#cannon #maritimehistory #gunpowder #history #heritage #pirates #antiques #antiquities #navy #naval #armsandarmour
December 11, 2024 at 9:50 PM