Im Memorium![](Paul_Champagne.jpg) Paul Champagne Swordsmith and Weaponsmith Extraordinaire 1963-2009
The
historical fencing community and the world suffered a tragic and
untimely loss this week in the death of Paul Champagne. Despite his
fitness and general good health he passed away of a heart attack at the
age of just 45. A life much too short.
Weaponsmith and swordmaker
extraordinaire, Paul was a friend, advisor, and invaluable source of
wisdom for both the ARMA and especially for myself. A lifelong student
of the world’s entire ethnographic diversity of sword forms and
sword-making technologies, Paul became an extraordinary craftsman. He
was a masterful artisan in a field with far too few experts (and more
than enough amateurs and charlatans). Paul was soft spoken and humble,
yet a dynamic personality unquestionably knowledgeable and profoundly
generous in sharing his wisdom. Always cordial, he was ever ready to
offer his opinions and advice without apology or excuse. When I first
met him it was hard not to be impressed at the breadth of his
knowledge, his ease at expressing complex matters in eloquent ways, and
at the depth of his presentation: he lectured by showing first a
container of simple iron ore that he had smelted himself, next a bar of
simple steel he had hand forged from it, and finally presenting a fine
finished blade that he had carefully shaped and polished into a
gleaming wondrous instrument --- the prized tool of my trade and very
object of my own lifelong pursuit of excellence. He was a kindred
spirit and for me, as a swordsman, a natural counterpart. Ours was a
natural symbiosis. I was proud to have been able to enrich his art by
sharing my own knowledge with him in turn. Yet I perhaps learned
more about metal and the making of blades from him than from all other
sources combined.
Paul Champagne was to me an ever-impressive
example of how a lost art could indeed be reclaimed by those with
dedication and talent --- if it was pursued for the right reasons with
sincerity, integrity, and passion. I deeply regret the unfulfilled
projects and unfinished plans he and I will now never complete.
Though he leaves a legacy in his work, sadly, he was only able to share
a tiny fraction of his accumulated wisdom. His impact is not nearly
what it might have become, even if he never sought such renown.
Paul
was a private man with no real interest in selling swords or arms as a
commercial venture or even in promoting his expertise, but rather only
in rediscovering and reviving the forgotten art and technology that
went into historic weapons. Sadly, the forgotten craft in which he
spent a lifetime working to recover now suffers another blow in the
knowledge he takes with him that once more will be lost.
On
behalf of all of ARMA and myself, we offer our sincerest condolences to
his widow and family. It is with great sadness I mourn his passing.
John Clements ARMA Director April 16, 2009
In
tribute, the ARMA presents two podcast interviews with Paul from 2006
that have not been available previously to the general
public. We also ask that readers view here the only online
interview that he granted.
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