PRESS RELEASE-June 23, 2022, New York, NY – On Wednesday, June 22, The Knights Who Say Nah hosted an event called Artifacts in the Metaverse to introduce its upcoming NFT collections including first-of-its-kind realistic 3D NFTs from the world’s largest private collection of arms, armor, and other artifacts. The event gave guests the unique opportunity to be up close to eight rare pieces from the physical collection comprising over 6,000 pieces, spanning 6,000 years and 50 countries. This was the first time many of the artifacts were available for public viewing.
Held in the Clark Room of the famed Explorers Club, the eight artifacts were displayed next to their interactive 3D NFT counterparts so attendees could see how they will come to life in the Metaverse. The key pieces included the famed 600-year-old Harriet Dean Alexandria Sword that went missing for 72 years; an authentic Viking Ulfberht sword, the same type of sword featured in the video game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla; a Northern Italian Sword that was part of an extremely rare group of swords from around 1480-1490.
Aredien Rapier dating back as early as 1570 from the Holy Roman Emperor; a Gothic War Hammer, which is now on its way to The Met as a donation, originating from Germany circa 1480-1500 and used for arranged combat; a Brunswick Close Helmet used by bodyguards of the Duke of Brunswick in Hanover from 1560-1570; a Corinthian Helmet that was likely used during the Persian Wars between 494 and 449 BC; and a Veraguas Gold Avian Pendant, a rare piece of Pre-Columbian gold that dates back to 800-1200 AD.
The evening began with a presentation by Jeffrey Forgeng, The Higgins Curator of Arms & Armor, and Medieval Art at the Worcester Art Museum who introduced the collection displayed at the event. As part of the collection’s debut, The Knights Who Say Nah made an initial $10,000 contribution to the Worcester Art Museum – one of many more to come after the launch of their NFT collections.
Following Forgeng was a presentation by Brad Boggs, The Knights Who Say Nah’s photogrammetry expert, who gave guests a look into the technique that transforms the artifacts into hyper-realistic NFTs that capture every detail that comes from withstanding thousands of years of rust and corrosion in incredible 8K.
“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to introduce this project during NFT.NYC and showcase ancient artifacts that are rarely accessible for public viewing,” says Nick Richey, the collection’s Keeper of Arms and founder of The Knights Who Say Nah. “By creating these 3D collections for the metaverse, we hope to democratize access to ancient artifacts and create opportunities for all to learn about the transformative cultures from the past in a Web3 format.”
The initial mint features PFP NFTs that represent different groups of ancient warriors and will be followed by a subsequent release of the cutting-edge 3D models. The minting and sales of the Knights NFT collections will support the purchase and donation of additional significant artifacts to museums and cultural institutions around the country.
The initial list of museum beneficiary partners who will receive some of the first pieces purchased by the NFT sales include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Worcester Art Museum. For more information about The Knights Who Say Nah, visit knightssaynah.com.
About The Knights Who Say Nah
The Knights Who Say Nah is committed to the protection of the stories welded in history through its preservation of the world’s largest private collection of arms, armor, and other rare artifacts. Some of the collection is already housed in esteemed cultural institutions such The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Art Institute of Chicago. Founded by Nick Richey, “Keeper of Arms” of the private physical collection which comprises more than 6,000 artifacts across 50 cultures, spanning 6,000 years of history, The Knights Who Say Nah seek ways to make rare pieces accessible beyond the walls in which they are stored.
As such, Knights will digitize the collection through their NFT projects whose minting and sales will support the purchase and donation of additional significant artifacts to museums and cultural institutions around the country. The initial mint features PFP NFTs that represent different groups of ancient warriors and will be followed by a subsequent release of realistic 1:1 3-D models of artifacts from the physical collection. It will debut in summer 2022. Knight NFT holders will play an essential role in further curating the digital collection through their exclusive involvement in the decision-making process for purchasing and donating new artifacts. The Knights Who Say Nah aims to create an opportunity for all to learn about the transformative cultures from our past in a never-before-seen Web3 format. More information can be found at knightssaynah.com.
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