2 comments about Uniforms, Arms, and Equipment: The U.S. Army on the Western Frontier 1880-1892 (2-Volume Set).

1. This set is even more grand than Dr. McChristian's previous work on the earlier (1870's) Indian War army. This time he literally doubled the size of the work and went into even greater detail on the subject. He includes plenty of examples of my favorite part of this type of research, that is, soldier modified and soldier fabricated items. There are numerous photos that I had never seen before, and I have studied this subject as an enthusiastic amateur for over three decades. See also the links below:
   
   The U. S. Army In The West 1870-1880 Uniforms, Weapons, and Equipment
   
   The U.s. Army in the West, 1870-1880: Uniforms, Weapons, And Equipment
   
   ARMING & EQUIPPING THE UNITED STATES CAVALRY 1865-1902
   
   The Horse Soldier, 1776-1943, Volume II The Frontier, The Mexican War, The Civil War, The Indian Wars 1851-1880
   
   The Horse Soldier, 1776-1943: The United States Cavalryman : His Uniforms, Arms, Accoutrements, and Equipments : The Last of the Indian Wars, the Sp



2. Doug McChristian's magnificent new two-volume history of the uniforms, arms and equipment of America's army in the West is another brilliant example of how comfortably the mantle of the late Don Rickey as our foremost authority on that subject fits McChristian's shoulders. This two-volume follow up to his outstanding 1995 book, The U. S. Army in the West, 1870-1880: Uniforms, Arms and Equipment, expands McChristian's detailed coverage of the subject from where that book left off. At over 600 pages in two well-organized, beautifully-produced, over-sized volumes, the latter era of the frontier army (1880-92) is exceptionally well covered. Eight full color images and 433 black & white photographs provide historians, collectors and just about anyone interested in the frontier army with a wealth of highly-detailed and valuable information. McChristian's narrative is superb, and goes well beyond merely describing in depth the uniforms, arms and accoutrements of the troops. He sets the stage for his coverage of the era and propels his narrative by explaining the problems that faced military and civilian decision-makers who were desperately trying to come to grips with a "frontier constabulary" force that would soon be forced to emerge on the world stage as the guardians of America's global interests. McChristian's book describes an army on the eve of the War with Spain, the conflict that made the United States a world power.
   Divided into 15 chapters and 5 appendices, McChristian's book is an outstanding reference for collectors and museum curators, as well as being a fascinating account for anyone interested in the history of America's frontier army. My recommendation: Buy this new 2-volume set and McChristian's earlier The U. S. Army in the West, 1870-1880. They represent the "must have" references on America's frontier army and deserve a place in any military history enthusiast's library. And while you're at it, pick up a copy of McChristian's outstanding book, Fort Bowie, Arizona: Combat Post of the Southwest, 1858-1894 (all available on amazon).

No comments about Official Price Guide to Military Collectibles: Sixth Edition (Official Price Guide to Military Collectibles).

No comments about Elite: The Special Forces of Indonesia 1950-2008.

2 comments about Collector's Guide to the Waffen-SS.

1. While I realize the limitations of a book of this size, I none the less found it a useful tool to help in the hobby of collecting German militaria. Of course a much larger format packed full of colour photos would have been better, but that is not the format of this book, and shouldn't be compared to larger, more comprehensive titles. As a general guide and/or an introductory book on the subject, it was well worth the money. I was very happy with it, and it prodded me to explore the subject further.
   
   A top read!



2. As a Collector's guide, any respectable one should have more than a few plate in color. Most of the image shown in this book come from other books published many years ago. If you take a look at the bibliography of this book you will be puzzle, so many good books are listed. So if it was the case, why Mr. Lumsden did'nt make a good summary of all of these books. It come short in terms of distinctive image. Short also in matter of description. If you intend to do a collector's guide, when you present a full battledress Waffen-ss you have to explained everything shown on the image, not just a collar patch or a belt buckle.

   I do not recommed this book to anyone wanting to know more about the waffen-ss uniforms, nor the firearms. It's so succint that it would'nt help you in a antique boutique. It's not even good to orient you in any specific detail.

   _________________________
   Paul Bourgault
   2Lt/Fus MR21/34thCBG/RCAC

No comments about Never Mace A Skunk II: The Legends Continue.

1 comments about Warman's Civil War Field Guide (Warman's Field Guides).

1. This purports to be a handy field guide that on can take to autcions, flea markets, and the like for indentification purposes.
   
   Descriptions read like those that usually accompany reputable auction house photographs, published in pre-auciton catalogues that ordinarily cost 3 times the suggested price of this book. In this case, however, far too many decriptions have no accompanying photograph.
   
   Unfortunately, the prices given are somewhat (to be kind) out of date. Further more, many of the item classes are specialties in themselves, and provenance (meaning proof of origin in writing) is more reliable than informaiton that can be crammed into a "field book" of this sort. Descriptions of items with no photos of an example are really useless to the novice and meaningless to the cognoscenti.
   
   One of the positive aspects of the book are the occasional diversions regarding what kinds of items are difficult to fake (e.g., flags) but there is no dicussion of how to evaluate any purported Confederate item (whether used after pickup on the battlefield, manufactured in the South, or imported. Such issues are critical to anyone willing to put hundreds of dollars into any Civil War item.
   
   The Glossary is also good, but too short--the Index a positive, but also brief. If you are going to go into collecting, you're going to need much more than this type of "field guide."
   
   An investment of a few hundred dollars in specialized books (e.g. Civil War Rifles, Dance & Brothers Revolvers, Civil War Swords come to mind), will save one hundreds of dollars in errant purchases. "Caveat Emptor"--let the buyer beware!!

1 comments about Trench Art (Shire Library).

1. Very well writen and profusely illustrated. The "bible" on this material, especially from WW I. Floyd McRae, Col, USAF, {Ret}. Western Front Assn.

5 comments about A Collectors Guide to Swords, Daggers, and Cutlasses.

1. I have never seen a published nonfiction book by an author more ignorant of his subject.
   
   Many other reviewers have pointed out Weland's inaccuracies on land swords, and it falls to me only to point out that his chapter on sea swords is no better.
   
   Page 58: a captured "vessel could be dismantled and sold off to help pay the expenses of the successful navy." Of course, money from sold captures did not go to pay the navy'e expenses, but was given as a reward to the captain, officers and crew who made the capture, as an incentive for performance.
   
   Page 62: "[B]y the time cutlasses had appeared, the hey-day of pirates was long past." This would certainly come as a surprise to such famous Golden Age pirate captains as Bonnet, L'Ollonais, Kidd, and Fly, all of whom are documented in contemporary sources as using cutlasses. Not to mention the judges of the Old Bailey during the same time period, who frequently found themselves judging assault, robbery, and murder cases involving cutlasses.
   
   Page 63: Weland informs us that swords that are not curved are "useless for cutting." While a curved blade is indeed ideal for cutting, Weland's exaggeration would consign to uselessness such famous cutting weapons as the Scottish basket-hilted broadsword, the two-handed sword, and the medieval military longsword, all of which had straight edges.
   
   Page 69: Weland misidentifies the Dutch writer Alexandre Esquemeling as a Londoner.
   
   But the crowning error is right at the beginning. On page 9, in describing the parts of a sword handle, Weland completely misidentifies the ricasso! This is an error as fundamental, and as discrediting, as a driving instructor misidentifying the turn signal.



2. Not only is this rife with errors as other reviewers have mentioned, but it completely glosses over Asian edged weaponry and labels it as "mediocre" and "uninteresting".
   
   The book should not be sold as a guide or as a handbook or as anything short of an incomplete and inaccurate school report on European weaponry.



3. If this is the first book on collecting swords that you get, make sure that you get a second and a third before you even -think- of going shopping. If this were the only guide that you were to bring with you into the world of sword collecting, there is a good chance you will embarrass yourself in front of even slightly knowledgeable dealers. Throughout the book, the proofreading is poor; that is, if it was proofread. Numerous captions are incorrect, and the authors research and conclusions are questionable at best. Conversely, this book does have some excellent photographs (many of which I have never seen elsewhere). Given the inexpensive price, it is worth purchasing for that reason alone.



4. This book should have been titled a historical analysis of Swords, Daggers, and Cutlasses. It gives a working basic knowledge of edged weapons. However there is no pricing information to be found in this book.
   It has many excellant pictures of edged weapons. However it gives a limited perspective of each catagory which leaves the reader salivating for more.



5. This book is decent, but I question its accuracy. Its best section is on cutlasses and naval weapons. The pictures are good, but woefully mislabled. (E.g..- the lables for a page with five daggers is supposed to read clockwise from the top. In fact, the labels are completely mixed up.) Also, some categories lack even sketches of the weapons (e.g.-the Indian bhuj) and his verbal description makes no sense. Overall the book will fill out a weapons library, but I would recommend Anthony North's "Swords and Hilt Weapons" for starting out.

1 comments about Soviet Uniforms and Militaria 1917-1991.

1. Being an ex-serviceman of the Soviet Army and Soviet uniform books and dress regulations collector I would not recommend this book to any serious reader. Several pictures show items of field, service and special dress mixed or worn wrongly. Models present a real nightmare for any average sergeant-major: unshaved, long hairs, wearing totally unfitted uniforms (too small or too long sleeves, blouses and trousers are not pressed etc). The art of wrapping putties (see pre-1945 section) must be a great mystery to them (and to the authors). All this is described as "non-regulation manner of wear" but in fact present a group of scarecrows rather than regular soldiers.
   I remember my first sergeant-major who used to say that a real soldier is expected to kill an enemy by his look and appearance. I think - he was telling us the truth. Two stars for binding and dust-jacket.

1 comments about Wearing Propaganda: Textiles on the Home Front in Japan, Britain, and the United States (Published in Association with the Bard Graduate Centre for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design and Culture).

1. An intensively researched, tightly written, extensively documented study of patriotic and propaganda textiles developed by the major players during WW II and the years immediately before it. The acknowledgements page alone reflects the author's interaction with many of the leading lights in textile research today. Highly recommended!