Second Age Gondorian Shield W/Banner

The Gondorian army was made up of four divisions: Archers, Swordsmen, Axemen, and Spearmen. Each soldier carried a weapon in one hand and a shield in the other for protection. A few of the men proudly carried banners, representing the Kingdom of Gondor, when they went into battle. Only the fittest and strongest men were allowed to enlist. The training was intensive because the Numenorean captains foresaw the need to be ready to defend their fledgling kingdom. The strength and discipline of the Gondorian soldiers made them difficult opponents against the armies of Sauron's Orcs. Their reputation as the finest warriors among the men of Middle-earth was well-deserved. The Gondorian Shield the soldiers carried was long and broad and made of a number of different layers of wood, edged in metal to produce strong, heavy protection. The front of the shield bore the "Tree of Gondor" surrounded by seven stars and a crown. These were royal symbols of the Gondorian people and showed their noble Numenorean lineage. Roughly shaped and forged, the Gondorian Shield has been authentically "battle worn" with a distressed finish to exactly duplicate the original movie props. This adult collectible is strictly limited to 2500 pieces worldwide and is individually serialized on a solid brass plate mounted on the back of the shield to ensure authenticity. Each shield is presented with a Kingdom of Gondor banner, to mount on a wall behind the shield. Includes a parchment certificate of authenticity. OVERALL LENGTH: 42-1/2" tall x 20-1/2" wide. SHIELD MATERIAL: Distressed hardwood, silkscreened, stained black finish, steel bands with a special process for an aged look, genuine leather arm strap, solid wood handgrip wrapped in genuine leather. Handgrip is shipped unassembled for wall mounting (mounting brackets included), hardware and instructions to assemble included. BANNER: Wood rod, black cloth with silver edges and embroidery, braided hanging cord.