[Danny Grigg]

Can anyone recommend any good museum catalogues on Arms and Armour for the Metropolitan Museum, Royal Armouries Leeds (Tower of London), British Museum, Museum of London or any other museums in the UK?

I'm looking for catalogues that provides information (provenance), dimensions (length / blades lengths) and weights on individual items.

I have the following books already:

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1) Arms & Armor From The Permanent Collection by Helmet Nickel - has overall length of items and some weights of armour
2) Arms and Armor Notable Acquisitions 1991 - 2002 - has overall length of items and some weights of armour
3) The Armored Horse in Europe 1480 - 1620 - has dimensions and weights of most items
4) Warriors of the Himalayas Rediscovering the Arms and Armor of Tibet - has dimensions of items and no weights
5) Warriors and Worthies Arms And Armor Through The Ages by Helmet Nickel - nice picture book with items broken up into cultures (very little information about items and no dimensions or weights)

Royal Armouries Leeds / Tower of London
1) Treasures from the Tower of London: Arms and Armour by A.V.B.Norman - has dimensions and weights of items (excellent book)
2) European Swords and Daggers in the Tower of London by Arthur Richard Dufty - nice photo book, has overall lengths of items, but very little information.
3) The Armour & Arms of Henry VIII by Thom Richardson - some nice photos mostly of armour (no dimensions or weights and very little information)


Thanks

Danny

[Daniel Sullivan]

Danny,

Suggest you try the Wallace Collection catalogs. There are a few tidbits in The Armourer and His Craft (Ffoulkes). Also, though mainland Europe, a recent softcover pub of the Kunsthitorisches Museum in Vienna, "Meisterwerke der Hofjagd-und Rustkammer " has some O. A. height measurements. Hope this helps a bit.

I am always looking for stats as well and get a bit frustrated at times as the authors and publishers never seem to consult the end users.

Cheers,
Dan

[Danny Grigg]

Daniel, thanks for the suggestions about the Wallace Collection catalogues.
They are on my to buy list, just a matter of finding them in good condition and at a reasonable price.

Does anyone know if there are any plans for the Wallace Collection to release an up-to-date catalogue along the same lines as the "Mann" ones with colour photos?

I remember reading on one of the forums there was a book released recently that covered mostly armour from the Wallace Collection.

Danny

[Chad Arnow]

Danny,
The new Wallace Collection book by Carlo Paggiarino is beautiful, but is not a catalogue (see here: http://hansprunner.com/). It's a very artistic closeup look at arms and armour there. Pretty much nothing in the way of stats.

The Wallace Collection has three catalogue sets:

1) Sir Guy Laking (late 19th/early 20th century or thereabouts). 1 volume. Available in reprint. No pics, numbering system is out of date.
2) SJ Camp (1920s or so). 3 Volumes (3rd vol--supplement-- by James Mann in 1945). Available via used book sellers. B&W pics. Older numbering system.
3) Sir James Mann (1960s or so). 3 Volumes (3rd volume--supplement-- by AVB Norman in 1986). Available from A&A or used book sellers. B&W pics. Current numbering system with tables to translate to older system.

There is a pretty detailed catalogue of the Fitzwilliam by Ian Eaves. Not a ton of pics (closeups sorely lacking if I recall correctly), but pretty detailed descriptions of each piece (much longer than most catalogue descriptions).

The fairly new book by Dr. Tobias Capwell about the Kelvingrove is more a guide book than catalogue. Nice pics, minimal stats, overview of arms and armour, highlighting some special pieces in more depth.

There is another Dufty book on the Tower: European Armour from the Tower of London (though much of the armour is now at Leeds, of course). Along the sames lines as the book you already have in terms of descriptions and stats. Plenty of pics.

The Met has the series of guidebooks from early in the century. The 1930 is much better than the 1921, though neither has colour pics or stats nor a ton of info in descriptions. Also worth finding is the book European Helmets, 1450-1650 (Treasures from the Reserve Collection). It's an actual catalogue and has measurements and weights for many items.

Unfortunately, we are not the market for most publications. The kind of detail we seek doesn't sell as many copies of books as general info on the museum and general info on arms and armour with some glossy pics.

[Danny Grigg]

Chad

Thanks for those suggestions . I'll definitely check those out.

Does anyone have any thoughts / opinions on these books?

From the lands of the Scythians: Ancient treasures from the museums of the U.S.S.R., 3000 B.C.-100 B.C. : the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
ISBN-10: 0870991434

The art of chivalry: European arms and armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art : an exhibition (AFA exhibition) (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0917418670

Royal Armouries Yearbook Vols 1 to 7

Arms & Armour of the English Civil War (Hardback)
Author: David Blackmore
Publisher: Royal Armouries Publications
ISBN: 0948092084

London Armourers of the 17th Century
Author: Thom Richardson
Publisher: Royal Armouries Publications
ISBN: 0948092556

Treasures of the Moscow Kremlin
Publisher: Royal Armouries
ISBN: 0948092327

An Introduction to Indian Arms and Armour
Publisher: Royal Armouries Publications
ISBN: 0948092572

Thanks

Danny

[Chad Arnow]

[Danny Grigg]

The art of chivalry: European arms and armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art : an exhibition (AFA exhibition) (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0917418670

[/quote]

I don't have the rest, but do have the one I quoted above. Good book. Colour and B&W pics. Good descriptions, including stats (length, width, weight). It is an actual catalogue, so may come closer to what you're looking for. But it's not a catalogue of the Met's entire holdings and/or display, just what was sent out for an exhibit. It's a good catalogue of the items it covers, but just doesn't cover the Met's entire display.[/quote]


Chad

I didn't think this book would cover a wide selection of items, but its good to hear it does contain dimensions and weights.

I'll have to purchase it just as soon as I pay off my credit card after buying a bunch of books over the last month.

Danny