Thought I'd post an update on my Lady Vivamus project.

First, I had posted earlier that I thought the Albion Swords version was no longer in production. That is incorrect. I contacted Albion Swords and they are very willing to make a sword if you have the $3,000 to pay for it. They have only sold a hundred or so of the 1,000 that their license permits.

Second, Windlass Swords is busy with military contracts and with their acquisition of Marto Swords (a Spanish company known for making high quality wall hangers). They are still interested in producing a Lady Vivamus replica but they are concerned that the existing Albion license might be a complication in their getting a license. As far as I can tell, they haven't actually contacted the Heinlein Prize Trust, yet, so it's just a concern at this point. To help them along, I researched their catalog and picked the sword that best matches Heinlein's descriptions of Lady Vivamus and outlined what modifications would be needed to turn it into a Lady Vivamus replica.

So, the project is not dead but it's not moving, either. In the case that Windlass can not get a license, I asked if they would sell me a sword without engraving so that I could make my own Lady Vivamus. If that happens, I'll pass on the details so that anyone else who wants to can make their own, too.

If anyone's interested, the Windlass sword I think best matches the known facts about Lady Vivamus is their Confederate Staff & Field Officer's Sword. I retouched some photos of that sword to show what it would look like as Lady Vivamus. My intend was to make as few changes as possible so that making the sword would be economically feasible for Windlass but having a sword that accurately depicts what we know about Lady Vivamus.

An update on my Lady Vivamus project. Although the folks at Windlass have not stated categorically that they will not produce a Lady Vivamus replica, it is pretty clear that they have lost interest in the project. The market for the sword is too small and the hassle with the existing Albion license is too big a hurdle. They did sell me a saber with a non-etched blade so I can make my own Lady Vivamus. I'm looking for an engraver, now.

I have finished my replica of Lady Vivamus. The completed sword can be seen at my website: http://picasaweb.google.com/sfscalemodels/GloryRoad#

Dan, I don't impress easily in this realm; I've seen a lot of nice hobby work of every type and done quite a bit myself. So I have fair judgment about how easy it can be to turn out some such stuff. However, in a past era I was seriously into swordmaking (weapons, not collectibles), so I have a sharper (ha...) understanding of what goes into crafting a long-blade.

I am *very* impressed. And jealous. My wife looked into buying me one of the LV replicas a few years back and decided it was too expensive for the time and place. I guess I'll just have to win the second Heinlein Award, when and if they ever think to give one...

Nice work.

Jim, you could make your own Lady Vivamus like I did. I haven't actually seen the Foot Officer's sword from Legendary Arms, so don't know if it is as good a match to Heinlein's descriptions as was the Windlass sword, but with your experience, you could fine tune the blade shape if needed and touch up the guard. The cash outlay ought to be under $200, figuring the engraving will cost more than the sword. I wish Windlass was making the Lady Vivamus replica like we planned so that any Heinlein fan who wanted one could simply buy it, but that didn't work out. Showing how anyone can make their own is the next best thing.

And thanks. It's good to hear that someone like you appreciates it.

Sir Richard Francis Burton said, "Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect applause," but I think he would have applauded this.

So do I. Wonderful!

Thanks, Robert. It is nice to hear that people appreciate the work, but my main purpose in posting here was to show other Heinlein fans that it's not that hard to make a Lady Vivamus sword, if they'd like to have one.

What happened to Heinlein's original sword? It seems like I've read about its disposition, but can't remember where. One of his nephews? Amy Baxter?

It's a bit in dispute within the family. Heinlein loaned it to a couple of nephews and nieces who followed him to Annapolis, and the last niece never returned it. I can't recall if Amy Baxter had it, or if she was in the faction that wanted it back in the main family; in either case we were unable to give adequate assurances that it would be returned to the current owner had they lent it for display at the Centennial. (That is, another faction may have shown up, legal papers in hand or something, and we would have been powerless to control the situation.)

Too bad, really, on many fronts. But the sword is still out there in at least collateral family hands.