J. Christoph Amberger
Welcome to FencingClassics! This blog site is devoted to showcasing historic fencing and dueling through period images, art, and artifacts through the ages.
But before you start surfing this fencing history site, let me introduce myself.
My name is J. Christoph Amberger. I have been an active fencer since 1984, have practiced and competed in foil, saber and épée, as well as the German basket-hilt and bell-guard Schläger. And of course, I have the usual smattering of Asian martial arts… a bit of taek-won-do, arnis & escrima, as well as Tomiki aikido and aiki jo and -bokken.
I started collecting fencing-related literature, images, art, and weapons in the early 1990’s. The Amberger Collection now contains over 2,500 historic items, some of which I invite you to enjoy on this site.
An early synopsis of my research was published a good ten years ago, in my book The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts. Since I stopped publishing my own fencing history newsletter, Hammerterz Forum (1994-2000), I have been contributing to Nick Evangelista’s Fencers Quarterly Magazine, Einst & Jetzt, as well as Cultura Martialis.
Hijacking the popular concept of the chocolate-filled advent calendar, I intend to put images and descriptions online at the rate of 2 or 4 a day. At that pace, you have a pretty damn good reason to come back to this page once you bookmarked it… and we both have enough time left for the Brussels sprouts of life…
Since I write both in English and German, I’ll be uploading stuff primarily in the language I wrote it in originally, bothering with translations later. In case you feel so inclined, you’re welcome to practice bilinguality by supplying your own translations in the comments. (Why should I have all the fun?)
Fechtgeschichte, Geschichte des Fechtens, fencing history, fencing, Hiebfechten, Stoßfechten, cut fencing, thrust fencing, ringen, wrestling, bayonet, Bajonett
Fabulous information, just incredible. Unfortunately my last employer fired me by email, so, in this economy, I cannot afford any new acquisitions for coaching. However, if your wife should ever again make you throw out boxes of information, we are a 501c3 organization and the entire value would be tax deductible.
‘Capt Dan’ Galindez, Professor of the Sword
9th U.S. Memorial Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers
Comment by 'Capt Dan' Galindez — March 22, 2009 @ 4:14 pm