Brian R. Price
Encyclopedia
Brian R. Price is an American author, editor, publisher, martial arts instructor of the Italian school of swordsmanship
, reconstructive armorer, and member of the Society for Creative Anachronism
. Price originally founded The Chivalry Bookshelf in 1992 to publish Chronique, the Journal of Chivalry,
but eventually began publishing books about Western Martial Arts, arms and armor, and the subject of chivalry
written or edited by other authors in addition to his own.
Price is a co-founder and, until early 2011, was the long-time curriculum director of the Schola Saint George school of Historical European Martial Arts
. He is a Dissertation Fellow in history at the University of North Texas
.
with a B.A. in Political Science/Economics in 1990, and is enrolled at the University of North Texas as a Dissertation Fellow in history. He taught courses there in U.S. and world history as a Teaching Fellow from 2008 to 2010.
Price had previously operated a small armory, Thornbird Arms, from 1984 to 1990, and worked in the computer software, information technology and internet industries from 1995 to 2000.
(SCA
) in Southern California
, in which he participated under the SCA pseudonym of Brion Thornbird ap Rhys, eventually rising to the rank of King of the Kingdom of Caid in 1988. In 1984, Price founded a small armory, Thornbird Arms, directed at the SCA's market for functional historically-accurate armor, which he operated until 1990. In recognition of his expertise in "armouring" and his research into the historical combat system of Fiore dei Liberi
, the SCA
kingdom of Ansteorra elevated Price to its "Order of the Laurel" in 1986 and, in 1987, he was elevated to the SCA's "Order of the Chivalry" (KSCA) for his skill in SCA Armored Combat by the reigning King and Queen of the Kingdom of Caid. Price was awarded the "Queen's Cypher" and the "Princess's Favor" in 1992 by the Kingdom of the West, the "Queen's Guard - Knight Counselor" in 1998, as well as the "Defender of the West" in 2000. Price is also a warranted Armored Combat Authorizing Marshal "At Large" of the Kingdom of Ansteorra.
In addition to producing historically-accurate armor for SCA members, Price wrote the instruction book Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction.
In the 1990s, Price was also instrumental in establishing the Company of Saint George
, a "Tournament Company" within the SCA dedicated to staging historically-accurate tournaments and pas d'armes
in an SCA context. In 2000, a part of the Company of Saint George developed into the Schola Saint George school of Western Martial Arts, co-founded by Price and Robert Holland in Union City
, California
. Price directed the Schola Saint George, expanding it to Texas and other regions of the United States
and abroad, up until his resignation in March, 2011.
Under Price's impetus, the Schola Saint George organized the first annual Schola Saint George Medieval Swordsmanship Symposium in May, 2001. It was one of the first conferences in the United States
dedicated to bringing together scholars and practitioners of the Historical European Martial Arts, and the largest of its kind up to that time.
In 2004, Price was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as a Medieval Weapons Master. He is also a member of the American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts.
In 1996 or 1997, Price also contributed two articles, "On Chivalric Virtues" and "Winning and Losing," to Facets of Knighthood, an anthology of poetry, stories and articles concerning knighthood and chivalry edited by a fellow SCA member, "Cormac the Traveller" (a/k/a Peter Martin), and published by Outlaw Press.
Price republished his 1991 monograph, The Book of the Tournament, as a book under his The Chivalry Bookshelf imprint in 1996 and, again, in 2002.
In 1999, as a monograph, and, in 2001, as a book, Price likewise self-published his "translation into modern English" of Ramon Lull's Book of Knighthood & Chivalry, which became widely used as a textbook. The book was republished again in 2002 as a paperback by The Chivalry Bookshelf and Boydell & Brewer and again in 2004 by The Chivalry Bookshelf and Greenhill Press.
Price's only independently published book, Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction, was published by Paladin Press in 2000.
In 2001, Price published the first U.S. edition of Bengt Thordeman's 1939-1940 two-volume Armour from the Battle of Wisby, 1361 as a single volume, and Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship: Sigmund Ringeck
's Commentaries on Johannes Liechtenauer's Verse, translated and interpreted by Christian Henry Tobler.
The Chivalry Bookshelf published several more notable works by other authors concerning the history of chivalry, arms and armor or Western Martial Arts in 2002, including:
That same year Price also contributed an article, "In the Lists: The Arthurian Influence in Modern Tournaments of Chivalry," to an independently published anthology, King Arthur in Popular Culture, edited by Elizabeth S. Sklar and Donald L. Hoffman.
From 2003 through 2006, The Chivalry Bookshelf continued publishing notable books concerning the history of chivalry and Western Martial Arts, including:
In 2007, Price self-published Fiore dei Liberi
's Sword in two hands: a full-color training guide for Medieval longsword based on Fiore dei Liberi's Fior di Battaglia, which is also the most recent book published by The Chivalry Bookshelf. In February, 2011, Price announced that "there will be no further Bookshelf titles except for my own, and there are only three of these planned, if they ever come out."
In July 2010, Price published in Knight Templar Magazine, "Isn't Chivalry Dead?", a shortened version of the article he had published earlier in Chronique.
, Belgium
, and a member of the William Morris
Society, edited the Kelmscott edition of The Ordination of Knighthood for the "Morris Online Edition," a web-based scholarly edition of the works of William Morris published at the University of Iowa
Libraries website.
In the Headnote: Introduction, Cowan accused Price of plagiarizing William Morris's translation of the Ordène de Chevalerie in Price's 2001 The Chivalry Bookshelf edition:
Western Martial Arts
Italian school of swordsmanship
.
Italian school of swordsmanship
The term Italian school of swordsmanship is used to describe the Italian style of fencing and edged-weapon combat from the time of the first extant Italian swordsmanship treatise to the days of Classical Fencing ....
, reconstructive armorer, and member of the Society for Creative Anachronism
Society for Creative Anachronism
The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century...
. Price originally founded The Chivalry Bookshelf in 1992 to publish Chronique, the Journal of Chivalry,
but eventually began publishing books about Western Martial Arts, arms and armor, and the subject of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
written or edited by other authors in addition to his own.
Price is a co-founder and, until early 2011, was the long-time curriculum director of the Schola Saint George school of Historical European Martial Arts
Historical European martial arts
Historical European martial arts is a neologism describing martial arts of European origin, used particularly to refer to arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms...
. He is a Dissertation Fellow in history at the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
.
Background
Price was graduated from the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
with a B.A. in Political Science/Economics in 1990, and is enrolled at the University of North Texas as a Dissertation Fellow in history. He taught courses there in U.S. and world history as a Teaching Fellow from 2008 to 2010.
Price had previously operated a small armory, Thornbird Arms, from 1984 to 1990, and worked in the computer software, information technology and internet industries from 1995 to 2000.
Western Martial Arts
Beginning about 1981, Price's exposure to the Western Martial Arts developed through his participation in armored full-contact sport combat through the Society for Creative AnachronismSociety for Creative Anachronism
The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century...
(SCA
SCA
- Organizations :* Schuylkill Canal Association, a non-governmental organization that maintains a section of historical canal in Pennsylvania* Scottish Canoe Association* Secular Coalition for America* Sexual Compulsives Anonymous...
) in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, in which he participated under the SCA pseudonym of Brion Thornbird ap Rhys, eventually rising to the rank of King of the Kingdom of Caid in 1988. In 1984, Price founded a small armory, Thornbird Arms, directed at the SCA's market for functional historically-accurate armor, which he operated until 1990. In recognition of his expertise in "armouring" and his research into the historical combat system of Fiore dei Liberi
Fiore dei Liberi
Fiore Furlano de Civida d'Austria delli Liberi da Premariacco was a Medieval master of arms and the earliest Italian master from whom we have an martial arts manual...
, the SCA
SCA
- Organizations :* Schuylkill Canal Association, a non-governmental organization that maintains a section of historical canal in Pennsylvania* Scottish Canoe Association* Secular Coalition for America* Sexual Compulsives Anonymous...
kingdom of Ansteorra elevated Price to its "Order of the Laurel" in 1986 and, in 1987, he was elevated to the SCA's "Order of the Chivalry" (KSCA) for his skill in SCA Armored Combat by the reigning King and Queen of the Kingdom of Caid. Price was awarded the "Queen's Cypher" and the "Princess's Favor" in 1992 by the Kingdom of the West, the "Queen's Guard - Knight Counselor" in 1998, as well as the "Defender of the West" in 2000. Price is also a warranted Armored Combat Authorizing Marshal "At Large" of the Kingdom of Ansteorra.
In addition to producing historically-accurate armor for SCA members, Price wrote the instruction book Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction.
In the 1990s, Price was also instrumental in establishing the Company of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
, a "Tournament Company" within the SCA dedicated to staging historically-accurate tournaments and pas d'armes
Pas d'Armes
The pas d'armes or passage of arms was a type of chivalric hastilude that evolved in the late 14th century and remained popular through the 15th century...
in an SCA context. In 2000, a part of the Company of Saint George developed into the Schola Saint George school of Western Martial Arts, co-founded by Price and Robert Holland in Union City
Union City
-In the United States:*Union City, Connecticut *Union City, California *Union City, Georgia *Union City, Indiana , across the state line from Union City, Ohio...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Price directed the Schola Saint George, expanding it to Texas and other regions of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and abroad, up until his resignation in March, 2011.
Under Price's impetus, the Schola Saint George organized the first annual Schola Saint George Medieval Swordsmanship Symposium in May, 2001. It was one of the first conferences in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dedicated to bringing together scholars and practitioners of the Historical European Martial Arts, and the largest of its kind up to that time.
In 2004, Price was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as a Medieval Weapons Master. He is also a member of the American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts.
Writing, editing and publishing
Price's early pamphlet-length monographs, such as The Book of the Tournament, Historical Forms of the Tournament for SCA Combat: History, Resources, Examples, and Arming Yourself in the Style of the 14th Century, were written principally for the Society for Creative Anachronism (sometimes under his SCA pseudonym "Sir Brion Thornbird") and were sometimes published by the SCA as well.In 1996 or 1997, Price also contributed two articles, "On Chivalric Virtues" and "Winning and Losing," to Facets of Knighthood, an anthology of poetry, stories and articles concerning knighthood and chivalry edited by a fellow SCA member, "Cormac the Traveller" (a/k/a Peter Martin), and published by Outlaw Press.
Price republished his 1991 monograph, The Book of the Tournament, as a book under his The Chivalry Bookshelf imprint in 1996 and, again, in 2002.
In 1999, as a monograph, and, in 2001, as a book, Price likewise self-published his "translation into modern English" of Ramon Lull's Book of Knighthood & Chivalry, which became widely used as a textbook. The book was republished again in 2002 as a paperback by The Chivalry Bookshelf and Boydell & Brewer and again in 2004 by The Chivalry Bookshelf and Greenhill Press.
Price's only independently published book, Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction, was published by Paladin Press in 2000.
In 2001, Price published the first U.S. edition of Bengt Thordeman's 1939-1940 two-volume Armour from the Battle of Wisby, 1361 as a single volume, and Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship: Sigmund Ringeck
Sigmund Ringeck
Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck was a 14th or 15th century German fencing master. While the meaning of the surname "Schining" is uncertain, the suffix "ain Ringeck" may indicate that he came from the Rhineland region of south-eastern Germany...
's Commentaries on Johannes Liechtenauer's Verse, translated and interpreted by Christian Henry Tobler.
The Chivalry Bookshelf published several more notable works by other authors concerning the history of chivalry, arms and armor or Western Martial Arts in 2002, including:
- The Arte of Defence: an introduction to the use of the rapier, by William E.Wilson
- De Arte Gladiatoria DimicandiDe Arte Gladiatoria DimicandiDe Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi was written by Italian fencing master Filippo Vadi at some time between 1482 and 1487. It consists of an opening prologue describing the art of fencing followed by colored plates illustrating specific techniques for the longsword, dagger, pollaxe, spear and club...
: 15th century swordsmanship of Master Filippo Vadi, translated by Luca Porzio with a commentary by Gregory Mele
- Jousts and Tournaments: CharnyGeoffroi de CharnyGeoffroi de Charny was a French knight and author of at least three works on chivalry. Geoffroi was a knight in the service of King John II of France and a founding member of the Order of the Star, an order of chivalry founded on 6 November 1351 by John II of France in imitation of the Order of...
and the Rules for Chivalric Sport in Fourteenth-Century France, translated and with a commentary by Dr. Steven Muhlberger
- SPADA: An Anthology of Swordsmanship in Memory of Ewart OakeshottEwart OakeshottEwart Oakeshott was a British illustrator, collector, and amateur historian who wrote prodigiously on medieval arms and armour. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a Founder Member of the Arms and Armour Society, and the Founder of the Oakeshott Institute...
, edited by Stephen Hand
That same year Price also contributed an article, "In the Lists: The Arthurian Influence in Modern Tournaments of Chivalry," to an independently published anthology, King Arthur in Popular Culture, edited by Elizabeth S. Sklar and Donald L. Hoffman.
From 2003 through 2006, The Chivalry Bookshelf continued publishing notable books concerning the history of chivalry and Western Martial Arts, including:
- The Medieval Art of Swordsmanship: a facsimile & translation of Europe’s oldest personal combat treatise, Royal Armouries Ms. I.33, by Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng
- Medieval Sword & Shield: the Combat System of Royal Armouries MS I.33, by Stephen Hand and Paul Wagner
- Fighting with the German LongswordLongswordThe longsword is a type of European sword designed for two-handed use, current during the late medieval and Renaissance periods, approximately 1350 to 1550 .Longswords have long cruciform hilts with grips over 10 to 15 cm length The longsword (of which stems the variation called the bastard...
, by Christian Henry Tobler
- The Swordsman’s Companion, by Guy Windsor
- The Art of Dueling: 17th Century RapierRapierA rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
Combat as Taught by Salvator FabrisSalvator FabrisSalvator Fabris was an Italian fencing master from Padua. During his life he taught in various European countries, most notably in Denmark where he was the fencing instructor of King Christian IV. It was during his time in Copenhagen that he published his treatise on rapier fencing, Lo Schermo,...
, by Salvator Fabris, translated by Tomasso Leoni
- SPADA 2: An Anthology of Swordsmanship, edited by Stephen Hand
- Teaching and Interpreting Historical Swordsmanship, an anthology edited by Price, to which he also contributed three of its seventeen articles: "The One True Way," "Seven-iron, Please!" and "In a Few Pages: Fighting between the Poste of Fiore dei Liberi"
- Deeds of Arms: Formal Combats in the Late Fourteenth Century, by Dr. Steven Muhlberger
- The Royal Book of Jousting, Horsemanship, and Knightly Combat: a Translation into English of King Dom Duarte’s 1438 Treatise Livro da Ensinança de Bem cavalgarBem cavalgarBem cavalgar, fully Livro da ensinança de bem cavalgar toda sela , is a book written by Edward of Portugal, left incomplete as Edward died of a plague in 1438. It is one of the oldest remaining manuals of medieval horsemanship and jousting...
Toda Sela (The Art of Riding in Every Saddle), translated by Antonio Franco Preto and edited by Dr. Steven Muhlberger.
- The Duellist's Companion: a Training Manual for 17th Century Italian Rapier, by Guy Windsor
- English Swordsmanship: the True Fight of George SilverGeorge SilverGeorge Silver was a gentleman of England during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, who is known for his writings on fencing. He is thought to have been the eldest of four brothers , and eleventh in descent from Sir Bartholomew Silver, who was knighted by Edward II...
. Vol. 1, Single Sword, by Stephen Hand
- Fighting with the QuarterstaffQuarterstaffA quarterstaff , also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European pole weapon and a technique of stick fighting, especially as in use in England during the Early Modern period....
: a Modern Study of Renaissance Technique, by David Lindholm
- Academy of the Sword: wherein is demonstrated by mathematical rules on the foundation of a mysterious circle the theory and practice of the true and heretofore unknown secrets of handling arms on foot and horseback (1628), by Gerard Thibault d’Anvers, translated by John Michael GreerJohn Michael GreerJohn Michael Greer is an American author, independent scholar, historian of ideas, cultural critic, Neo-druid leader, Hermeticist, environmentalist/conservationist, blogger, novelist, and occultist/esotericist who currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland after living in Ashland, Oregon for a...
- In Service of the Duke: the 15th Century Fighting Treatise of Paulus KalPaulus KalPaulus Kal was a 15th century German fencing master. In 1460, he wrote a combat manual describing the art of fencing .-Literature:...
, translated by Christian Henry Tobler
In 2007, Price self-published Fiore dei Liberi
Fiore dei Liberi
Fiore Furlano de Civida d'Austria delli Liberi da Premariacco was a Medieval master of arms and the earliest Italian master from whom we have an martial arts manual...
's Sword in two hands: a full-color training guide for Medieval longsword based on Fiore dei Liberi's Fior di Battaglia, which is also the most recent book published by The Chivalry Bookshelf. In February, 2011, Price announced that "there will be no further Bookshelf titles except for my own, and there are only three of these planned, if they ever come out."
In July 2010, Price published in Knight Templar Magazine, "Isn't Chivalry Dead?", a shortened version of the article he had published earlier in Chronique.
2009 Allegations
In 2009, Dr. Yuri Cowan, a postdoctoral Research Fellow concentrating on "nineteenth-century poetry, historiography, medievalism, and the history of the book" at Ghent UniversityGhent University
Ghent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and a member of the William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
Society, edited the Kelmscott edition of The Ordination of Knighthood for the "Morris Online Edition," a web-based scholarly edition of the works of William Morris published at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
Libraries website.
In the Headnote: Introduction, Cowan accused Price of plagiarizing William Morris's translation of the Ordène de Chevalerie in Price's 2001 The Chivalry Bookshelf edition:
But perhaps the most striking instance of the afterlife of this volume is a little book published by The Chivalry Bookshelf in 2001, entitled Ramon Lull’s Book of Knighthood and Chivalry and the anonymous Ordene [sic] de Chevalerie (“translated by William Caxton / Rendered into modern English by Brian R. Price”). This book is avowedly a work of enthusiasm by Price, who writes in his introduction that “with the growing convergence between students of chivalric lore, reenactors, Western martial artists, and medievalists – the time seems right to release this new version. I hope it brings much pleasurable contemplation and provokes thought along [sic] what it meant – and what it means – to be a knight” (iii). There is no reason why Price should have included both works together, except that William Morris had once done so in his Kelmscott edition of 1892-3. In fact, a close look at Price’s edition reveals that he has stolen Morris’ translation verbatim for the entire text of the Ordène, and gives Morris no credit whatsoever. Indeed, he does not mention Morris even once throughout his entire introduction, nor anywhere in the book [5]. Although Morris’ work is certainly in the public domain, Price’s appropriation of it without attribution is a decidedly unchivalrous piece of plagiarism. And yet this lately-pirated edition, too, is an example of the long reach of Morris’ influence in unexpected places – as a translator, as a medievalist, and as a shaper of the canon.
[5] In his introduction, Price repeatedly emphasises the “anonymity” of the Ordène. It is possible that, owing to Morris’s rather medieval humility in not appending his own authorial name to the translation of the Ordène, Price understood the translation of the Ordène in the Kelmscott volume to be Caxton’s – suggesting at least that Morris’s medievalising idiom was convincing!
2011 Allegations
In March, 2011, Will McLean, the illustrator, author and independent medieval scholar, accused Price of plagiarizing and infringing his copyright on certain of McLean's illustrations for Dr. Elizabeth Bennett's translation of King Rene's Tournament Book by reprinting them without credit or permission in Price's Chronique No. 10. McLean also accused Price of plagiarizing and infringing the copyright of the late British scholar Claude Blair, "one of the foremost authorities on historic European metalwork, especially arms and armour," in the same volume of Chronique.Allegations by The Chivalry Bookshelf Authors
In early 2011, allegations were made by several of the authors published by The Chivalry Bookshelf that Price and his wife, Ann Price, had withheld royalty payments on their books, in some cases since 2003. The controversy, which acquired international notoriety, brought about Price's resignation from the leadership of the Schola Saint George.Forfeiture of Corporate Charter by the Schola Saint George
On August 7, 2009, the Secretary of State of Texas forfeited the charter of the Schola Saint George (SSG) due to SSG's failure to pay its state franchise taxes and to revive its forfeited privileges within 120 days of said forfeiture while Price was serving as its registered agent. A Copy of the Certificate of Forfeiture was publicly posted on February 22, 2011 to the same Armour Archive thread on which allegations by several The Chivalry Bookshelf authors had been made. The SSG Board of Directors thanked those who had brought this information to their attention in the same announcement in which Price's resignation from SSG was announced.See also
Historical European Martial ArtsHistorical European martial arts
Historical European martial arts is a neologism describing martial arts of European origin, used particularly to refer to arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms...
Western Martial Arts
Western Martial Arts
Western Martial Arts refers to formalized fighting techniques and skills of European or generally Western origin, as distinct from those originating in Asia....
Italian school of swordsmanship
Italian school of swordsmanship
The term Italian school of swordsmanship is used to describe the Italian style of fencing and edged-weapon combat from the time of the first extant Italian swordsmanship treatise to the days of Classical Fencing ....
External links
.