32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating account of arms and armor through text and photography, June 18, 2008
This review is from: Historical Guide to Arms & Armor (Hardcover)
At the onset let's establish the dual aspect of arms and armor. Obviously the first is protection, a means of attack, battle products. The second is probably as important: weapons reflected wealth, prestige, and power of the bearer. Practicality and artistry were wrapped into each weapon. "An Historical Guide to Arms and Armor" shows this development from earliest times, even including weapons as trading goods because of their value.
Writer Stephen Bull and Editor Tony North explain that the study of arms and armor did not really begin until late eighteenth century. Popular collecting began seriously after World War II when disposable income became available. The best historical pieces, of course, belong to private collections like Sir Walter Scott or to museums like the Tower of London.
Items for collections came from excavations, historical architecture like friezes and sculptures in cathedrals, and family heirlooms. In addition, information for books like this came from contemporary documents, histories, sketches, paintings, tombs, and collections.
The book presents the information about weapons in the classical period of the Greeks and Romans, the Dark Ages to the Crusades, the High Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the Sun King, from Brown Bess to Maxim, Oriental and Tribal Arms, and Sporting Arms and Armor.
The book is filled with photographs on every page, some full pages, both black and white and color. At random here are some examples. On page 83 is a war hammer from Italy c1490, one of the few capable of tearing open or denting armor. Displayed across pages 82-83 are eight hafted weapons: Swiss halberd, boar-spear, pole-axe, war axe, each with ugly, fierce blades and spikes.
On page 132 is a unidentified painting from the Musee de L'Armee in Paris of Napoleon's army in retreat from Moscow, 1812. The caption points out several weapons used in this war. On pages 146-147 are six types of revolvers: flintlock, Colt pistol, British revolver, and three from a catalog of the day, 1864, a source of information.
This 217 page book is a respected source from Facts on File. No one volume on a topic of this magnitude can be exhaustive, but this one is certainly a great beginning to the study of arms and armor.
As a note of interest, I even have my own little collection of weapons obtained from an armory in Carcassonne, France. My replicas include a Spanish sword, a battle axe with three types of blades, and a morning star. Getting these through customs thirty years ago just raised eyebrows.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very good book indeed - great pics, June 11, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Historical Guide to Arms & Armor (Hardcover)
The first book about weapons and armor i bought, and well worth the money too. Just one bad thing about it - for me anyway - It goes on for too long, including the american civil war and WW1. Even though this is well done, i find that it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the book, especially if you see that no armor exists then...
It also has a short chapter about "foreign" weapons: Japan, India, Afrika, etc. Again, if you're looking for medieval knights, not too interesting.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent survey., July 24, 1997
By A Customer
This review is from: Historical Guide to Arms & Armor (Hardcover)
From the ancient Greeks to the advent of the machine
gun, all significant developments in the soldiers' combat equipage
are comprehensively treated, with clear, concise
narrative and many beautifully rendered full-color pictures.
The text is divided into broad historical areas
for convenience, and the concomitant evolution of
weapons and tactics are clearly explained. As a bonus, there are chapters on Oriental and Tribal
Arms and Armor, and Sporting Arms and Armor.
This work is a companion to Bull's "20th-Century
Arms and Armor", which is similar in format and
also highly recommended.
A high-quality production, in large format, generously
illustrated, with bibliography and index.
(The numerical rating above is a default setting
within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not
employ numerical ratings.)
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