Szable w kontekście badań nad bronią dawną – przyczynek do dziejów bronioznawstwa polskiego

This article is an attempt to provide a comprehensive view on the history of hoplology in relation to the most popular type of weapon used in the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the sabre. The research history addresses the issue of modern weapons, which is motivated by the emergence of various types of sabre at that time. Research on old weapons, inspired primarily by collectors, museologists and members of academia, traditionally uses a range of methods developed by history, art history, archaeology and art restoration. Such research can also enter the field of sociology and cultural studies, provided that we take into account the fact that weapons, sabres in particular, symbolized social standing. The variety of issues, which are generally confined to the above mentioned concepts, also translates into the historiographic sphere. Because of that, it may be surprising that Polish literature on historical weapons only dates back to the second half of the 19th century. However, collectors had shown interest in military items much earlier. The first part of the article presents the most important private collections of weapons from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, with particular focus on the almost entirely preserved collection of Izabela Czartoryska, who founded the first museum in Poland. This layout is the starting point for presenting academic interest in military items, divided into the pre- and post-war periods.