48. Gottfried Keller, How arms and armour were chosen for the play, William Tell

Gottfried Keller's Green Henry describes a Swiss community pageant that took place sometime in the early 1800's.   The story of William Tell was performed by the whole community, with important speaking roles going to prominent individuals.   The actors and spectators proceeded from town to town enacting the story as they went along.   In order to tell Tell's story in an authentic way, the most important props are ancient arms and armour!   

Reflect for a minute and imagine how many individual pieces were forged over the centuries for the many wars in Europe (and elsewhere).  Thousands of arms and suits of armour have survived and may be viewed in museums all over the world.    Large collections exist of swords and shields, spears, clubs, crossbows, halberds, helmets, guns, and all manner of iron and steel accessories.   Suits of armour may come in whole body or half, and parts of the body can be enclosed by steel and iron (without sacrificing movements of parts).     These items are available at auctions all over the world.   For instance, you might obtain a complete set of armour at auction for $30,000, though it may be a little beat up from use and the passage of time.     

So it was over the centuries that the towns and villages inherited their own collections of arms and armour, and it was to those armouries (in this case, Swiss) that the man Green Henry trudged with his sponsors to borrow hardware to furnish the village actors with props.    

Here is another selection from Green Henry the semi-autobiography of Gottfried Keller.  
[Note:  Permission to quote from Gottfried Keller's book was granted to me on May 2, 2013 from Alma Books / Alma Classics, London House, 243-253 Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2LL, United Kingdom.] 

Excerpt from Chapter 13,

The Carnival Play

by Gottfried Keller

I proved useful during the preparations and was entrusted with several matters which had to be attended to in the town.  I rummaged through all the shops where there was likely to be mock jewelry and fancy costumes, and tried to recommend whatever was most fit for the purpose...   I even came into contact with the officials of the Republic, and had occasion to prove myself a valiant champion of my district, for I was given the choice and charge of the old weapons which the authorities conceded to us on condition that every care was taken of them.   But as there were several similar festivals taking place just at this time, nearly all the supplies had to be given out, and only the most valuable trophies, those associated with certain definite memories, were left.   Besides this, the delegates of the various communities disputed over the weapons; they all wanted the same thing, although the same thing was not suitable for all; a number of great broadswords, and cudgels with iron spikes, which I had selected for my company, were on the point of being absolutely wrested from me by a rival, in spite of my pointing out to him that for the period from which his people had chosen their scene, he ought to have something altogether different.  In the end I appealed to the man in charge of the weapons who said I was right, and the sturdy innkeeper from the village, who was standing behind me to carry the things away, was triumphant and gave me his friendly approval.   But my rivals now thought I was a dangerous fellow who seized the best before anyone else had a chance, and they dogged my footsteps into all the old armouries, picking out just what I had my eye on, so that it was only by dint of the greatest persistence that I was able to get hold of one more load of iron helmets and halberds for my tyrant's mounted troops.   So I felt very important as I settled with the curators the inventory of the things they were handing over to us, although the innkeeper was the real guarantor, and had to sign it.   

[excerpts from pp. 262-263]