The Swords of Middle-Earth

Four heroic swords based on weapons used in the epic The Lord of the Rings film trilogy go on display at the Royal Armouries in Leeds from December 13 to celebrate the long-awaited movie premiere – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The exhibits were crafted in the past two years by swordsmith, Peter Lyon, and award-winning production workshop, Weta – creators of the original swords for both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film productions.

The evocatively-named swords – Andúril, Strider’s Sword, Glamdring, and Sting – are all artists’ proof copies of the long since sold-out limited editions, ranging from only 10 to 25 in number.

THE FOUR SWORDS – “FACTS AND STATS”:

SWORD OF ARAGORN: ANDÚRIL

The two-handed sword Andúril, originally called Narsil (‘Red and White Flame’), was forged by the dwarf weaponsmith, Telchar of Nogrod. King Elendil used it against Sauron, during the battle of Dagorlad.

His son Isildur took up Narsil and cut the One Ring from Sauron but shattered the sword. The shards of Narsil were re-forged by Elves into the sword Andúril (‘Flame of the West’) for Aragorn, the heir of Isildur, who was crowned King Elessar.

SWORD OF THE RANGER ‘STRIDER’, ARAGORN

The hand-and-a-half sword of Aragorn when he went under the name Strider, among many others, disguised as a Ranger. This long, elegant and plain fighting sword bears a simple blade with neither flourish nor adornment, but reliable and keen, much like Strider himself. The grip is bound in leather stained the ‘Forest Green’ of the Rangers.

SWORD OF GANDALF: GLAMDRING

The two-handed sword of the wizard Gandalf, one of the Fellowship of the Ring, was named Glamdring (Sindarin: ‘Foe-hammer’). Gandalf found it in a Troll-hoard in the caves beneath The Misty Mountains, during the Quest of Erebor. It been forged long before by Elves in the First Age for Turgon, the Ñoldorin elf-king of Gondolin. Its blade, which is slightly leaf-shaped, glows blue or white when evil Orcs or Balrogs are nearby, as do all Elven blades.

SWORD OF BILBO AND FRODO BAGGINS: STING

Sting, the sword of the Hobbit Ringbearer Frodo Baggins, one of the Fellowship of the Ring, was given to him by his cousin Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo originally found it in a Troll-hoard in the caves beneath The Misty Mountains, during the Quest of Erebor, which he undertook in the years 2941-2 (Third Age) as recorded in ‘The Hobbit’. Bilbo named the sword Sting but it had been made long before by Elves of the First Age, possibly for Turgon of Gondolin. Although only a dagger, it was of sword-length for a small Hobbit.