The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Arms and Armour and Decorative Arts from Asia and the Ottoman World

A beautifully illustrated catalogue of a world-class collection of arms and armour from Asia, Africa and the Ottoman world.

Brimming with bejewelled and enamelled dagger hilts, swords and scabbards, and with delicately gilded spears, helmets, shields and breastplates, the Wallace Collection is home to one of the finest assemblages of arms and armour in the world.

The pieces within the collection provide an expansive view of three key areas – Asia, Africa and the Ottoman world – and span the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, with star objects dating from as early as the 15th century. Being both functional weapons and prestigious luxury items, objects in this area of the collection are fascinating and awe-inspiring both for their technical achievements and artistic virtuosity.

This richly illustrated catalogue, compiled by leading specialists in the field, is a landmark achievement and shines a light on a previously overlooked part of the Wallace Collection. It provides detailed photographs of almost every object, each accompanied by a description of its provenance, materials, inscriptions and construction. Also included is an introduction to the subject and a history of the collecting of non-European arms and armour by the 4th Marquess of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace.

Thom Richardson FSA worked as a curator of oriental art at the British Museum and Manchester City Art Gallery, then as a curator of armour and Asian collections at the Royal Armouries, retiring as deputy master in 2016. He has a PhD in history from the University of York published in 2016 as The Tower Armoury in the Fourteenth Century, is author of over 150 books and academic articles on arms and armour, and has been the editor of the Journal of the Arms and Armour Society and Arms & Armour. He is now retired and works as a consultant to museums in the UK and abroad while continuing to write about historical arms and armour.

Paula Turner has worked on a great variety of books, including a spell as head of publications at the Royal Armouries where arms and armour became something of a speciality. She is now concentrating on the study of coins from the ancient and early medieval periods, especially those of Rome and South Asia. For this she is preparing the second edition of her book, Roman Coins from India, and is the editor of the Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society.