Decorative display of weapons — how do you do it?

[EagleJCS]

Shaun,
With that sort of arrangement, I'd lay the tartan over a sheet of 1/2" plywood, stapling/tacking it in back, then bolt your sword and targe hangers to the plywood. You can then hang the plywood from the wall, anchoring it to a stud in the wall. (This will minimize the number of wall anchors you'd need to drill into the wall).

If hanging over the mantel, I might actually run some picture-hanging wire over a ceiling joist or two as close to the wall as I could get and about center over the mantel and hang the plywood from that. Paint the wire the same color as the wall if your fireplace is like mine & has plaster/wallboard covering the brick.

[artificer]

Shaun,
With that sort of arrangement, I'd lay the tartan over a sheet of 1/2" plywood, stapling/tacking it in back, then bolt your sword and targe hangers to the plywood. You can then hang the plywood from the wall, anchoring it to a stud in the wall. (This will minimize the number of wall anchors you'd need to drill into the wall).

If hanging over the mantel, I might actually run some picture-hanging wire over a ceiling joist or two as close to the wall as I could get and about center over the mantel and hang the plywood from that. Paint the wire the same color as the wall if your fireplace is like mine & has plaster/wallboard covering the brick.

If I could add something to that I'd say that rather than just stapling or tacking the fabric I'd use a spray mount on the front face as well, Super 77 if you want it to be permanent. That way any fluctuations in humidity won't cause the fabric to sag over time.

Beyond that it shouldn't be too hard to find a block or wire armature to mount both swords through and the targe on.

ith:

[creagdhubh]

Shaun,

Here's how they had targes and broadswords mounted and displayed at a Clan Macpherson Association - England and Wales Branch, ceilidh I attended in London a few years ago. They can be seen in the distance, sorry for the lack of detail, but they do give you an overall sense of the targe/sword orientation (classical positioning). Personally, I like seeing the targe and broadswords displayed without a tartan background, but that's just me.









Best of luck,

[Nathan]

Shaun,

I like your arrangement and think it will be very smart looking. It prefer the symetry you have going to the MacPherson display in Kyle's post and think the tartan goes nicely with the red in the basket hilts. Can't wait to see the photos of the finished product.

[hylander]

These might help

http://www.bytheswordinc.com/p-4454-...er-pc-100.aspx

[Tobus]

I like the look of your mock-up, Shaun. If I were doing it, I'd likely do it the same way (swords crossed behind the targe), but I wouldn't make the tartan such a rigid square. I'd probably just make a hanger for the tartan that sits behind the targe, so the tartan fabric could drape a little more naturally. Maybe make it look like part of a plaid with a fringed bottom and a more free-flowing look. But that's just my own personal decorating style.

You could also have a custom wood-carved plaque above the assembly that says Maxwell. The possibilities there are endless. Leather, wood, iron, with or without a clan motto, above or below the targe, etc.

*edited to add: Oh, and I might be tempted to buy a reproduction Scottish pistol and mount it on there too!

[Jack Daw]

Frankly, I like they you have your intentions set up. A good friend and piper has a similar display that he mounted above one of his inner doors.

[Sir Didymous]

I like the look of your mock-up, Shaun. If I were doing it, I'd likely do it the same way (swords crossed behind the targe), but I wouldn't make the tartan such a rigid square. I'd probably just make a hanger for the tartan that sits behind the targe, so the tartan fabric could drape a little more naturally. Maybe make it look like part of a plaid with a fringed bottom and a more free-flowing look. But that's just my own personal decorating style.

You could also have a custom wood-carved plaque above the assembly that says Maxwell. The possibilities there are endless. Leather, wood, iron, with or without a clan motto, above or below the targe, etc.

*edited to add: Oh, and I might be tempted to buy a reproduction Scottish pistol and mount it on there too!

I like this idea, but another option would be to have the clan motto above the display. Mottos on Scottish arms typically are above as opposed to under like most of the heraldic world. I think it would be very distinctive, more so than say just the family name. But that's just my opinion.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Well, I finally got the backsword to go along with the broadsword and targe, so this morning, I hung them up over the mantle. They're mounted in such a way that they're easily removable. Both swords are CAS Haweii items, and the targe came from Bold Blades (http://www.boldblades.com/html/misce...s_weapons.html).

At any rate, here's how it looks:





While it bothers me a bit that the pattern on the targe isn't lining up either vertically or "on the bias", it appears the way it does because I've attached a double hook to the wall, which cradles the wrist strap of the targe and keeps it on the wall. Too bad the maker didn't "square things up" a bit, but I'll just have to deal with it (which is very difficult for me!).

[bdkilted]

I see what you mean about the bias. It would bother me too, but the over all look is quite striking.