05 April,2013 12:53 AM IST | | Ruchika Kher
Ever dreamt of owning a robe that was an important element of Harry Porter's personality or possessing swords, a weapon that has won many battles? Well, your wish is Sugandh Windlass' command.
Windlass is the COO of Collectors Heritage, an online store that houses period clothing, weapons, accessories and authentic licensed products including costumes and accessories from epic films such as Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, 300 and Gladiator, among other collectibles.
"Collectors Heritage was started with the aim of catering to the niche collector segment in India. Our parent company, Windlass Steelcrafts, the biggest sword manufacturer in the world was established in 1942, and only exported their products. We would constantly get queries from Indian customers who were very interested in buying our products. However, due to the strict arms laws in India, we could not sell our swords."
She adds that after much deliberation, they devised a way of permanently mounting swords on a beautifully crafted wooden display. This made the sword an attractive wall hanging and decoration piece, without losing its authenticity or beauty. Once they innovated their flagship product, they decided to launch Collectors Heritage and introduce all Windlass products in the Indian market.
Source factor
While all swords, helmets, clothing, and home décor items are manufactured by the company, the knives are procured from the US and the replica guns come from Spain. "It is always a challenge to find relevant stuff for the website.
The three musketeers letter opener set Rs 3,500
However, our R&D team keeps travelling to different vendors and museums for ideas about more products. We are always on the lookout for vendors who manufacture unique items like ours that can be showcased on our website. However, we only display products with superior quality and historical reference," informs Windlass.
She also stresses that adhering to the weapon laws in India, the products are replicas made exclusively for showcasing purposes. Though the swords and knives are true to the carefully researched originals, these cannot be used, as they have been permanently mounted on plaques/frames, and exude the true character of the weapon, thus making them pieces of art to adorn homes and offices. The site offers free shipping and a 15-day, free return policy and the prices range from Rs 700 to Rs 90,000 for different products.
Log on to www.collectorsheritage.com
LARP in India
Collector's Heritage is attempting to introduce Live Action Role Play (LARP) in India (a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions) with a line of LARP weapons that have a realistic look, finish and other accessories. "We feel that LARP-ing would be a huge success in India too. It is a game for all ages. It is a way to relive history," believes Windlass.
