Who Was Howard Livingston of Albion Swords?

Updated

Howard (Howy) Livingston was the co-founder of Albion Swords, the sword manufacturer based in New Glarus, Wisconsin. According to the company's own memorial notice, he passed away unexpectedly but peacefully in his sleep on April 14, 2022. He founded the company together with his wife, Amy, and the business grew into what the site describes as one of the greatest sword manufacturers in the world.

The short answer

If you only need the essentials:

  • Name: Howard Livingston, known as "Howy"
  • Role: Co-founder of Albion Swords, alongside his wife Amy
  • Location: New Glarus, Wisconsin
  • Education: Marlboro College (Vermont), graduated magna cum laude, double major in History and Anthropology
  • Died: April 14, 2022, in his sleep

Background before swords

Albion's memorial describes a career that moved through several fields before sword-making. After college, Livingston worked in social work, then took a marketing position with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston. His work there drew recognition, including mentions in management textbooks and publications.

The most frequently cited example is his handling of the 1990 Back Bay train derailment. More than 450 people were injured, and Livingston visited all of them in the hospital. He also collected belongings found on the train and returned them to commuters personally. The night before Back Bay station reopened, he was asked to arrange coffee and donuts for commuters; within hours he had the city's best hotels set up tables on the platform with linen tablecloths, silver coffee urns, china cups and saucers, and pastries for more than 10,000 people that morning.

Why this matters for understanding Albion

The memorial frames Livingston as a historian, writer, reader, political activist, and horseman — not only a business owner. That combination is consistent with how Albion presents its own catalog: the company organizes its swords by historical and functional category rather than by generic product tiers.

The product lines the site lists are:

Line What it is
Museum Line Exact recreations of archaeological finds
Next Generation Streamlined recreations with custom options
Maestro Line Functional sparring swords for H.E.M.A. practitioners
Squire Line Affordable swords for the beginner or period reenactor
Special Edition Swords Recreations of swords from film, art, and literature
Associated Products Polearms, scabbards, and other accessories from partners

Each Albion product carries the Albion Mark, which the company describes as the signature of its quality and commitment; each mark corresponds to one of these product lines, and each line is defined by its own aesthetic, functional qualities, and price point.

What the source does and doesn't tell you

The available material is a company memorial and product overview. It confirms Livingston's role as co-founder, his education, his prior career, and the date of his death. It does not give details on the current ownership or management structure of Albion Swords, nor on how the business operates today. If you need those specifics, they would have to come from a separate, more current source.