Lord of the Rings GLAMDRING Museum Collection Sword

**JeffSaylor** · 11-09-2011, 12:42 PM

You will not pass... up this incredible deal!

A limited supply of the Lord of the Rings GLAMDRING Museum Collection Sword is IN-STOCK at RedfordFilms.com. It is priced at $399.99 and includes free shipping.

In this great hobby of ours there are collectors... and then there are COLLECTORS. Put simply, some people take their passion of pop culture collectibles very seriously; where only the best is worthy for honored display. Back in the mid-2000's United Cutlery tapped this corner of the market with not one, but two high-end collections of swords officially licensed from the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. For a couple hundred dollars, fans could pick up faithful replicas of these Weta Workshop-designed fantasy blades. While nice, these swords featured false edges and tempered 420 J2 stainless steel, a far cry from something you'd wield in battle. We are talking about serious collectors here. This is where the Museum Collection comes in.

This prestigious limited edition series of swords were all crafted using only the finest materials available, including high carbon Toledo spring steel, semi-precious stones, and even genuine silver plating. And yes, they were sharp. United Cutlery's Lord of the Rings Museum Collection weren't just top-of-the-line prop replicas... these were authentic swords.

Years have gone by since these fine replicas were released and finding one on the secondary market today can be costly. These retailed for nearly $1000 back in the day and the continued popularity of Lord of the Rings movies has only grown. Luckily for die-hard fans that missed the Museum Collection the first time around, Redford Films have secured a small run and are charging only a fraction of their original cost. These include Bilbo's magical blade Sting and the blade up for review today: Gandalf's sword Glamdring, Foe of Morgoth's realm, Hammer of the Orcs.

Glamdring is one of the more popular weapons in the Lord of the Rings trilogy thanks in part to the character that wielded it: Gandalf. Perfectly played by Ian McKellen, Gandalf instantly found himself as a fan favorite character, his sword Glamdring flashing on the screen in epic scenes such as his fight with the Balrog of Moria and the concluding Battle at the Black Gate. The beauty of these weapon's designs is in their elegant simplicity. Glamdring, like the majority of swords seen in the films, were all crafted to look as if they might have been used back in the Middles Ages, albeit more sophisticated medieval times. There's nothing overly "fantasy" about them, with dragon wings and what not. Instead, it is the addition of subtly etched runes and the graceful curve of the blades that broadcast the mystical origins of these weapons. The two-handed sword Glamdring is a perfect example of this design ethic, familiar, yet incredibly fantastic.

As mentioned earlier, everything about this sword is real. Handcrafted in Spain, the sword features a solid metal guard and pommel, plated in genuine silver with a weathered and distressed finish to match the actual movie prop. The sword is also adorned with genuine sapphire jewels (one on each side) and features a comfortable leather-wrapped grip. The tempered, full tang 36-inch long blade was forged from high carbon Toledo spring steel... and it's lethal sharp. If a burglar ever breaks into my house, I know which prop weapon I'm reaching for. As for the inscribed runes, these are in the Elven language Tolkien created and translate to read "Turgon, King of Gondolin, wields, has and holds the sword Glamdring, Foe of Morgoth's realm, Hammer of the Orcs". It's all amazing fantasy without rubbing your face in it.

The best part of the Glamdring Museum Collection Sword, aside from owning the most authentic version of the blade ever created, is the price tag: $399.99. That's 66% off the $800 Redford Films originally sold these for. Limited to only 1000 pieces back when it was first released in 2005, that's a real deal for this now hard-to-find replica. The only downside, if you want to call it that, is that these Glamdring Museum Collection Swords do not include their Certificate of Authenticity or the original display case they shipped with.

As for the COA, serious collectors can put their concerns at rest knowing that the series AND edition number are stamped on the back of the blade itself. This is the real deal - this permanent branding much more authentic and convincing than a piece of paper. The display case, on the other hand, is an unfortunate loss. According to Redford Films, the swords were forged by Marto in Spain for United Cutlery while the COA and display cases were produced separately by another company. Alas, the small run Redford managed to acquire did not include the latter. Still, Redford Films is making up for that small omission with the sword's amazing price. With over $400 in savings, a fan can easily purchase a sword case or mount and still have plenty of money to spare. With that low of a price and so few of these in circulation, I don't see how many fans can complain. Best of all, Redford Films includes free shipping. A bargain, indeed.

Beginning next year, fans will soon discover how Gandalf acquired Glamdring in the The Hobbit, Peter Jackson's two-part prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Demand, as hinted at earlier, for the Glamdring Museum Collection Sword is only going to skyrocket. Don't wait. For those wanting the most authentic Glamdring replica produced, Redford's deal is the way to go.

A limited supply of the Lord of the Rings GLAMDRING Museum Collection Sword is IN-STOCK at RedfordFilms.com. It is priced at $399.99 and includes free shipping.

Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor

Top Photo by United Cutlery

Review Sample Courtesy of Redford Films