EACH SWORD TELLS A STORY : COLLECTION CAN BE SEEN AT UNION OIL MUSEUM.Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer Wyman Spalding isn't sure what exactly sparked his sword fetish fetish (fĕt`ĭsh), inanimate object believed to possess some magical power. The fetish may be a natural thing, such as a stone, a feather, a shell, or the claw of an animal, or it may be artificial, such as carvings in wood. . Perhaps it started with his toy soldier collection as a child. Or maybe it was the Colt pocket revolver he bought when he was 9. For his 10th birthday, Spalding's father bought him a musket musket: see small arms. musket Muzzle-loading shoulder firearm developed in 16th-century Spain. Designed as a larger version of the harquebus, muskets were fired with matchlocks until flintlocks were developed in the 17th century; flintlocks were - complete with bayonet bayonet Short, sharp-edged, sometimes pointed weapon, designed for attachment to the muzzle of a firearm. According to tradition, it was developed in Bayonne, France, early in the 17th century and soon spread throughout Europe. . By age 13, he had a sizable collection of small swords The small sword or smallsword (also court sword, fr: L'épée de cour or dress sword) is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting. The smallsword evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. and pistols. Over the years, Spalding focused in on a favorite - antique swords. But his appreciation for the rare blades had nothing to do with their purpose in combat. ``I think of them as symbols,'' said Spalding, now 78, who has a portion of his collection on display at the Santa Paula Santa Paula (săn`tə pôl`ə), city (1990 pop. 25,062), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Santa Clara River in a fertile valley that yields citrus fruits, avocados, vegetables, flowers, nursery products, and walnuts; laid out 1875, inc. Union Oil Museum through Nov. 30, ``symbols of leadership and honor.'' Unlike some collectors, Spalding doesn't pick a sword for its value or age. Rather, he looks for the story behind the blade. His favorite is a sword that belonged to Major General Ormsby Mitchel, who commanded the men awarded the first Congressional Medal of Honor Congressional Medal of Honor n. The highest U.S. military decoration, awarded in the name of Congress to members of the armed forces for gallantry and bravery beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy. Noun 1. for the Great Locomotive Chase The Great Locomotive Chase or Andrews' Raid was a military raid that occurred April 12, 1862, in northern Georgia during the American Civil War. Volunteers from the Union Army stole a train in an effort to disrupt the vital Western & Atlantic Railroad (W&A), which ran from during the Civil War. Spalding spotted the rare blade at a Hollywood shop that rents hard-to-find knickknacks to motion picture studios. The sword didn't come with a price tag. So Spalding willingly traded a dagger, gun, Hitler Jugend knife and another sword from his archival collection. ``I knew that it would be an interesting sword,'' Spalding said. The oldest in his collection of roughly two dozen swords dates back to the 17th century. The short, double-edge knife was taken from a soldier at the battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine was a battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 11, 1777, in the area surrounding Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. by an English sergeant. Its cost? One of Spalding's Civil War swords. Spalding makes his best finds in antique shops. Some swords he trades with fellow collectors. Others are simply gifts from friends. Each sword has its own personality, history and character. He relishes their intricate hilts, gentle curves and precise grooves. Some are shiny brass or gold, others are rusted and pitted. He restores them meticulously by hand, making sure to preserve each sword's integrity. ``They all tell a story,'' he said. THE FACTS WHAT: An Exhibit of American Swords, featuring Wyman Spalding's collection. WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Nov. 30. WHERE: Santa Paula Union Oil Museum, 1001 E. Main St., Santa Paula. COST: Free. INFORMATION: (805) 933-0076. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1--color) Sword collector Wyman Spalding is disp laying his collection of fine swords at the Santa Paula Union Oil Museum. (2--color) Wyman Spalding lines up his cavalry sabers at the Santa Paula Union Oil Museum. (3--color) Wyman Spalding's eagle-head swords are elegantly detailed. Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News |
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