The New Zealand Herald ran a story recently, which we reported on, about prop collection that cast doubt on Troika Brodsky and his extensive LOTR collection.

Not only did the paper originally spell Brodsky’s name wrong, it seems the information in the story is suspicious, including the reported $50,000 he paid for a well-documented Sting.

Collector blog www.originalprop.com has published an extensive piece that gives Brodsky his say and also documents in detail the authenticity of the prop (among others) that is the focus of writer Joseph Barratt’s original story. They even reference a TORn article about Frodo’s sword. A complete read is pretty convincing and casts a lot of doubt about the original article and a possible attempt by Barratt to hook readers with a sensational headline.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

Peter Jackson’s production company has cast doubt on the authenticity of one of the world’s largest collections of Lord of the Rings memorabilia. American Troika Brodsk has been advertising in New Zealand papers for items used in the production of the trilogy – and the upcoming Hobbit prequels.

Brodsk believes he has the largest private collection of Lord of the Rings props in the world – between 25 and 30 pieces. He says he already owns Gimli’s axe and Eowyn and Aragorn’s swords but his most expensive purchase is Frodo’s sword, Sting. More..

From Wired.com: Take a look at how the craftsmen at Weta Workshops created swords for the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. Video courtesy Weta Workshop.

Reclaiming the Blade
Reclaiming the Blade
“Star Wars” and “The Lord of the Rings” are two of the most widely appealing film series in history. While they share many common elements, there is little argument that knights and swords sit at the core of each. The Jedi masters and their sabers – the weapon passed from father to son – share many common elements with Aragorn and his ancestral heirloom weapon in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

The sword, in whatever form, remains an important feature in cultures around the globe. It remains a symbol of the warrior in an age when many of us never need to fight anybody. Daniel McNicoll has directed a documentary, “Reclaiming The Blade,” that explores the sword and its standing in contemporary society and uses many examples from popular culture to do it. Continue reading “Exclusive with ‘Reclaiming The Blade’ director”

Reclaiming the BladeTheOneRing.net is teaming up with Galatia Films to celebrate the DVD release of ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ by giving away the ‘Late 15th Century Bastard Sword’ from Albion Swords! A prize worth nearly $500! Entering the contest is super easy – you don’t even need to answer any questions! ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ is narrated by John Rhys-Davies and features appearances by many LOTR veterans: Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Bob Anderson, John Howe and Richard Taylor of WETA Workshop. The DVD will be released on March 30th, but you can place your pre-order today at the Galatia Films website. So after you enter the contest, secure your copy of the DVD today! [Contest Page] [Pre-Order the DVD]

So much of what Weta does is terribly secret until it’s finished (who knows what they’re up to in preparing for The Hobbit? But next month they’re inviting people in Wellington to visit the Weta Cave to enjoy their work on their own series, Jane and the Dragon. It’s a free day of medieval fun and a chance to meet both the author of the book, Martin Baynton, and master swordsmith Peter Lyon, who did so much work on The Lord of the Rings. Read More