Fabulous exhibition collection of one of the best armor collections outside of Japan. This catalog is from 2011, and as the collection itself (traveling all over the world) is still expanding, it is likely that many pieces of the now enlarged collection are not yet in the catalog.
A general book on samurai, mainly interesting for the many reproductions of scrolls, illustrations etc (often bit out of focus…). Some armours and kabuto.
Title: A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times, together with some closely related subjects Author: George Cameron Stone Publisher: Jack Brussel, 1961 (1934) Language: English Illustrations: Black and white pictures, and line drawings Other: 694 pages, 28.5 cm by 22 cm, hardcover Topics:History, Katchū ID: B0269
A classic work. Fabulous overview of all kinds of arms and armor form all over the world. Originally published in 1934, it remains one of the best overview works written on this topic. This is the version of 1961. Wikipedia entry of George Cameron Stone: entry.
Title: Legend in Japanese art : a description of historical episodes, legendary characters, folk-lore myths, religious symbolism, illustrated in the arts of old Japan Author: Henri L. Joly Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1967 Language: English Illustrations: Black and white pictures, few color pictures Other: 823 pages, 29 cm by 23 cm, hardcover Topics:History ID: B0268
A classic work. Originally published in 1908 (see later), this remains one of the monumental works written on Japan, together with the Ko-ji hō-ten by V. F. Weber (B0178) and Dictionnaire D’Histoire Et De Geographie Du Japon by E. Papinot (B0792). Many other topics besides armour.
Title: Japanese Art & Handicraft Author: Henri L. Joly, Kumasaku Tomita Publisher: Robert G. Sawers Publishing, 1976 Language: English Illustrations: Few color pictures, many black and white pictures Other: 213 pages, 32 cm by 26 cm, hardcover Topics:History ID: B0187
This is a 1976 reprint edition from the original 1915 book, also known as the Red Cross book, as the book was a catalogue of a loan exhibition, used to help the British Red Cross during the first World War. It was at the time a pioneering work, especially related to tōsōgu. One of these amazing works that were published with a lot of love in the early 20th century.
Title: Ko-ji hō-ten Author: V. F. Weber Publisher: Hacker Art Books, 1965 Language: French Illustrations: Black and white pictures Other: 511 pages, 39 cm by 30 cm, hardcover Topics:Culture, History ID: B0178
V.F. (Victor Frédéric) Weber published this monumental two volume ‘dictionary’ in 1923 with the subtitle “Dictionnaire a l’usage des amateurs et collectionneurs d’objets d’art Japonais et Chinois.“, so it covers both Japanese and Chinese art. This copy is a reprint from 1965.
The books where written with several other monumental encyclopedic works from that era in mind (as acknowledged by Weber in his introduction), among others: Legend in Japanese Art by Henri L. Joly (1908), and Dictionnaire D’Histoire Et De Geographie Du Japon by E. Papinot (1899).
Not a book about Japanese armour, but a classic book to should be in a serious library on Japanese art and history.
Very nice catalog written by Ian Bottomley at the occasion of the exhibition “Shogun: The Life of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu”, held at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, in collaboration with Nikko Toshogu Shrine in 2005. Lavishly illustrated with Tokugawa related armours, documents, fold out screen reproductions, and many other items.
Nice book that was published during the process of creating the exhibition “Samurai – A Thousand Years of Cults in Culture” in Malmö in 2004. Although the book is more focussed on the Samurai culture as a whole, it is interesting from an armour perspective as some armours from the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Kunstkamera (St. Petersburg) are in here.
Title: Art of the Armor - Samurai Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection
Title: Samurai Warriors
Title: A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times, together with some closely related subjects
Title: Legend in Japanese art : a description of historical episodes, legendary characters, folk-lore myths, religious symbolism, illustrated in the arts of old Japan
Title: Japanese Art & Handicraft
Title: Ko-ji hō-ten
Title: Shogun The life of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu
Title: The age of the samurai