The Armour Archive

Cross posted from the construction & design forum:

The sources and the list below are items you all might find interesting. I spent part of my recent convalescence researching and making substantial additions to my arms and armour library and doing research for new armour for myself for SCA combat. Partly for research for my new SCA harness, partly because I like books & DVDs on arms & armour. Some are new, some are used. I did not list prices as they vary widely depending on whether you want new, reprints or ancient 1st editions, etc.

By looking around, even a few of the older ones including a first edition Hewitt from 1860 cost well under $200.00. Amazing how much you save if you spend the time to shop. I can't wait for the rest of these to actually show up. Some I've wanted for years, like the Dufty.

Richard Blackmoore KSCA, East Kingdom

SCA Definition Of Whining "Light, light, light EXCESSIVE!!!"

Armour Books, June 2006 Acquisitions

From www.alibris.com :

Hafted Weapons in Medieval and Renaissance Europe: the Evolution of European Staff Weapons Between 1200 and 1650. Waldman, John. New.

European Armour in the Tower of London. Dufty, Arthur Richard. Used.

European Swords and Daggers in the Tower of London. Dufty, Arthur Richard. Used.

The Hever Castle Collection Volume One Arms and Armour. Hayward, John F. Used.

A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons. Grose, Francis. Used.

Ancient Armour, and Weapons in Europe, From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth Century Vol I. Hewitt, John. Used, 1st edition 1860.

Arms & Armour in Tudor & Stuart London. Holmes, Martin. Used.

An Outline of Arms and Armour in England From the Early Middle Ages to the Civil War. Mann, Sir James Gow, Dufty A.R. Used.

Early Anglo-Saxon Shields (Archaeologia). Dickenson & Harke.

The Armouries of the Tower of London: the Ordnance. Blackmore, H.L. Used.

From Barnes & Noble:

Jogo do Pau.

Theuerdank. Fassel, S. New. This is a great facsimile copy (German calligraphy text, color plates). With a companion volume that includes descriptions of the plates. I still need an English translation.

The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe. Anglo, Sidney. New.

The Sword & The Mind. New, modern reprint of the Munenori.

Sherlock Holmes, The Complete Works Unabridged. Doyle, Arthur Conan. New.

From Amazon (www.amazon.com):

French Chivalry: Chivalric Ideals and Practices In Mediaeval France. Painter. Paperback reprint new.

Tournament: The Medieval Sport of Battle. Crouch. New.

Shiny Shapes: Arms & Armor (edition Joenneum). Landesmuseum Janneum. New.

Arms and Armour of the Western World. Thomas, Bruno. Used.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Notes On Arms and Armor. Dean, Bashford. Used, 1915 I think.

Arms and armor in the age of chivalry (Translated from the Italian). Dimarelli, Aldo. Used.

From Revival ( www.revival.us.com):

Fighting with the Quarterstaff. Lindholm, David. New.

English Swordsmanship: The True Fight of George Silver. Hand. New.

DVD Ochs Liechtenauer Longsword I. Ochs.

DVD Liebringen Introduction to Medieval Wresting.

DVD SSG Fiore dei Liberi Seminar, Jan 2005. Schola.

Tried to get The Knight Next Door, its backordered. Tried to get Masters of SCA Combat Vol I Paul Porter/AKA Paul of Bellatrix. Not out yet unfortunately. Tried to get In Service of The Duke, by Tobler, also not out yet. Eventually I’ll get them.

Picked up a pair of 14th century boot shoes with vibram soles for fighting and a pair for soft kit too.

From http://www.princeton.edu/~ezb/rene/compare.html :

I found an online source for the Rene D'Anjou tournament book The Manual For The Perfect Organization of Tourneys from the mid 14th century. Lots of interesting info if you click on the links. Original French, plus full English translation. Limited graphics but info on how to get them and to lots of info on the piece and on Rene. Printed it out. Still need to get copies of the colored plates, I have some scattered throughout various books (AAOTMK, Tournaments by Barker & Barber, Medieval Pageant) and this site lists many other sources. But to get all the plates I might need to contact the French library (if they are digitized now), but can’t seem to find them through their online page (I don’t read or speak French). Ann Price from Revival said there is an English translation with line drawings, I need to get the name from Brian.

Thanks for sharing.

But how does this fit in:
Sherlock Holmes, The Complete Works Unabridged. Doyle, Arthur Conan. New.

Christophe de Frisselle wrote:Thanks for sharing.

But how does this fit in:
Sherlock Holmes, The Complete Works Unabridged. Doyle, Arthur Conan. New.

Ahhh. Well. Good point. How about, "He wrote Sir Nigel and also The White Company, so anything he writes may contain pearls of wisdom to be gleaned."

or

"It's Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a real English Kniggitt. King Edward VII knighted Conan Doyle for his services during the Boer War. That makes it OK."

Well, that was elementary, if I do say so myself.

Life is good, more cool books coming, I now have almost all the books I ever dreamed of owning for arms and armour, even if a lot are reprints. It is the knowledge that is most important to me, not the $ value. You guys might like this source, the only problem is the exchange rate US to Pounds Sterling is awful right now:

From Ken Trotman Publications www.kentrotman.com I have on order:

1926.D'ANJOU (R.) TRAITE DE LA FORME ET DEVIS D'UN TOURNOI. In French, facsimile edn., 70pp., 4to, fully illus. incl. 7 magnif-icent colour plates. Paris. 1946. The Manual For The Perfect Organization of Tourneys, by King Rene D'Anjou of Sicily, Duke of Anjou, etc.
*Now I just need the English Translation!!!

2074.MANN (J.) THE FUNERAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF EDWARD, THE BLACK PRINCE/ MILLS (D.) EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE: A SHORT HISTORY 24pp.pamphlet, 4 colour & 4 b/w plates, P.B. 1963.

2150.WALLACE COLLECTION. A bound set of the European Arms & Armour cata-logue by Sir James Mann, 2 vols., 715pp-., 208 plates, fine set in green cloth.- 1962.

M019.MANN (J.G.) STUDIES IN EUROPEAN ARMOUR: (NOTES ON THE ARMOUR OF THE MAXIMILIAN PERIOD AND THE ITALIAN WARS; THE SANCTUARY OF THE MADONNA DELLE GRAZIE WITH NOTES ON THE EVOLUTION OF ITALIAN ARMOUR DURING THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY; NOTES ON THE ARMOUR WORN IN SPAIN FROM THE TENTH TO THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY; NOTES ON THE EVOLUTION OF PLATE ARMOUR IN GERMANY IN THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH CENTURY; A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE ARMOUR PRESERVED IN THE SANCTUARY OF THE MADONNA DELLE GRAZIE NEAR MANTUA.) The hugely important studies by the author for the Society of Antiquaries, limited to 100 copies, 142pp.text + 84 plates, 4to, bound in red cloth. 2003.

M086.SPITERI (S.) ARMOURY OF THE KNIGHTS: A STUDY OF THE PALACE ARMOURY ITS COLLECTION, & THE MILITARY STOREHOUSES OF THE HOSPITALLER KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER OF ST.JOHN. 408pp., 4to, fully illustrated. 2003. Must be regarded as the ultimate guide to the Valetta armoury. It is a considerably expanded version of a book published in 1999 The Palace Armoury, including an annotated catalogue of the collection of arms & armour & lists and inventories of arms & armour extracted from the spogli of individual knights.

M051.BEAUFORT (C.) & M.PFAFFENBICHLER MEISTERWERKE DER HOFJAGD- UND RÃœSTKAMMER. Latest catalogue from the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, in German, 272pp., fully illustrated in colour, P.B. 2005. Stunningly well photographed catalogue of armour & some early firearms.

[quote="Richard Blackmoore"]

2074.MANN (J.) THE FUNERAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF EDWARD, THE BLACK PRINCE/ MILLS (D.) EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE: A SHORT HISTORY 24pp.pamphlet, 4 colour & 4 b/w plates, P.B. 1963.

2150.WALLACE COLLECTION. A bound set of the European Arms & Armour cata-logue by Sir James Mann, 2 vols., 715pp-., 208 plates, fine set in green cloth.- 1962.
[quote]

ARGHHHHH! I placed the Trotman order 16 days ago and assumed it had shipped already.

Today I received an E-Mail saying nothing had shipped yet and they wanted to confirm my shipping address. That is OK even though I don't understand how it takes over two weeks to process and ship an online order. But the really annoying part is the two titles above have now been sold. I hope it was not due to their extreme delay in processing the order. Usually Trotman is good about these things. Sigh.