Evening star., 1943-08-22
Weapons Collection
Comes to Washington
BY James Waldo Fducett.

ever assembled has been presented to
the United States National Museum.
The donor is Ralph q. Packard OF Nor
ristown, N. J.
Among the thrusting and striking Inn
plements are knights battle swords, Ger
man hand-and-a-haH and two-handed
swords, Spanish, italian, Swiss and Scot
tish swords Of the 18th, 18th and nth
centuries.
OF special distinction is knights bat
tie sword with straight cross hilt. 1t
was excavated at Cyprus. Another mag
nificent weapon Is 18th century sword
with gilded wheel pommel and droop-
Ing quillons, found at Strasbourg.
Some Of the swords are surrounded by
q romantic aura of mystery. For ex-
ample, there Is q marvellous Spanish
rapier Of the 18th century with an ex-
ceptionally fine cup hilt Of pierced steel
witfaa lacelike design of medallions and
double eagles. The workmanship is won-
derful. Who owned, who fought with
this chivalrous blade? Only a man of
glorious character would deserve to own
or use it.
Mr.. Packard knows the name Of the
one-time possessor of another Spanish
rapier dated 1877. Damascened in gold
on the instrument is "Horla"
Sturdy and very strong are the Scot
tish broadswords OF the 17th and 18th
centuries. A horseman's sword has q
Phicavona hilt. Less convincing, but very
beautiful, is dress sword of the palace
guard of the doges of Venice, the sea
kings" who disputed with emperors on
equal terms.
Problem Of Swords Origin.
Nobody knows who first realized that
pointed stick, sharpened splinter OF
stone could be employed as "a heightened
hand" to hurt or fend away foe. Per-
haps one single individual made the dis
covery, perhaps it was six or dozen diff
ferent men In as many parts Of the world
who grasped the idea and by the ex-
ploitation Of 1t rose above their fellows.
Mr.. Packard's offering is universal In its
scope. 1t includes swords, scimitars, dag
gers and knives from all European coun-
tries, from the Near East and Asia. There
are Kurdish, East Indian, Malay, Jaw
anese and japanese implements. An odd
and truly fascinating specimen Ii an ex-
ecutioner's knife from the Belgian Congo.
What dreadful work did it do? Looking
at it, the spectator thinks OF the tales
told about the Dark Continent by Sir n.
Rider Haggard and Charles Beadle.
In another, more civilized category are
two splendid German crossbows of the
18th century-both of meticulous work.
manship; both lovingly inlaid with ivory.
One is windlass type with stirrup and
the other heavy type with a rack or
"caniquin" for setting the bow.
The firearms division of Mr.. Packard's
collection, beginning with weapons OF the
matchbox type, is enriched by an elabo-
rate Italian piece Of the 18th century, q
German wallpiece dated 1912 and Colo
nial matchbox OF about 1885, marked
"Newtowne" In burnt letters on both
sides OF the stock. To read its history 1t
is necessary to know that "Newtowne"
was fortified outpost OF Boston, estab-
lished in 1881 and called Cambridge
after the founding of Harvard College In
1896.
Sinister in their implications are q
number Of Japanese matchlocks one OF
which Is described as "a three-barreI
revolving pistol" The barrels and furni-
ture Of these engines Of destruction"
are covered with gold work In the shape
Of dragons and other heather symbols.
Powder and Ball Devices.
Mr.. Packard also collected some rare
wheel locks, one of which is of the blum
derbuss type with saddle hook, probably
French. An exhibition item" of par
ticular attraction Is a German creation
entirely covered with ivory plates en-
graved with camp and battle scenes.
There are several f1intlocks, both single
and double barrel, an early Brown Bess,"
the regular musket of the British service
Of 1706-1714; Kentucky rifles, Commit
tee of Safety musket Of 1775-1776, q
United States musket of the premier
type, British boatgun taken at Lake
Champlain, four-barrel American car
bine with the barrel turned by hand, two
locks and separate pan for each barrel;
breech-loading Warsop rife, forerunner
Of the Ferguson, and the rife designed by
Maj. Patrick Ferguson as an improve
ment on the Warsop-the rife Of the
British during the American Revolution.
The further development of "shootin'
irons" is illustrated by a smoothbore
sporting piece with pair Of pistols to
match by Peter Of Carlsbad-gems Of the
gunmaker's art; pieces of the type made
by John Cookson of Boston; Forsythe
rifle with an interchangeable smoothbore
barrel-a handsome achievement with
trimmings of silver, and Spanish
smoothbore sporting piece with a barrel
nlaid with silver scrolls and running
deer.
Mr. Packard's pistols and revolvers
are a story in themselves. He person.
ally supervised the manufacture of four
of the finest modern rifles. The latter
group dramatizes the highest technique
of modern gun making.
In terms of money invested in 1t, the
collection now the property Of the
United States Government is a prize
probably unequaled anywhere, but Mr..
Packard's gift is not significant only for
its market worth. 1t illustrates the SCI
ence of defense. The component fea-
lures of 1t are cunning things sought
out by men that men might die" but
more important-that men may survive.
Capt. Charles Carey is curator Of the
collection.