Chinese armor

[Peter Bleed]

Dear Friends,

Please let me ask for advice that may stress the limits of this forum. I need some advice on Chinese armor. I have several "basic" sources, but specific information is tough. I have also had a hard time finding collector interest in Chinese arms and armor. Where should like look?

Peter

[Peter Bleed]

Friends,

I really should proof read my messages. Forgive my ham-handed typing. Here's my basic question. Are there collectors and dealers who focus on Chinese arms and armor? Are there web sites, organizations, events? Or is this stuff so rare that a collectors' community has not developed?

Given the difficulty I have typing in English, I hope no one will suggest that I learn Chinese!

Peter

[IanB]

Peter, In my experience Chinese armour, other than helmets, is rare. Odd armours turn up from time to time, but rarely in anything like reasonable condition. You can find some information in H. Russell-Robinson's book 'Oriental armour' - Arms and Armour Press, but it isn't all that informative. The Royal Armouries in Leeds has a few suits, by far the best being a red lacquered lamellar one with its helmet and shoulder guards. Its origins are obscure in that it was collected in the 19th century but was probably a century or more old by then. The others are the more familiar plates riveted inside fabric and a magnificent court costume worn by a general that is pure Nanki-Poo and has no plates - only rivet heads.

Ian Bottomley

[David Flynn]

Peter, try Francis Boyd of San Francisco. I believe he is doing some Museum exhibitions around the world.

[Peter Bleed]

Ian, David and Friends!

I launched this thread because my attempts to climb the Chinese armor learning curve were proving unproductive. I appreciate your advice, but I think the effort so far has demonstrated that - at least in the West - we don’t have very good information on Chinese armor.

Ian, I acquired a copy of H. R. Robinson’s book some time ago after years of looking. It is hard to find, but presents a good introductory survey. For a collector suddenly asked to assess a specific item, however, it isn’t much help. It seems that a fair number of Chinese armors were acquired by Western Museums in the early years of the Chinese Republic so there are some useful museum catalogs that describe individual armors. One of the very best of these is a 1914 publication of the Field Museum entitles “Chinese Clay Figures Part I Prolegoma on the History of Defensive Armor” by Berthold Laufer. Laufer is one of my heroes. He appears to never have gotten around to publishing Part II, but the volume that did get published describes a number of very elaborate military outfits in some detail. It is hardly enough to guide a collectors suddenly asked to evaluate a specific rig, but it is worth having is a library on East Asian arms. For the serious collector, I agree with Ian that the next stop beyond these two volumes is the Mikado

And David I bet you are correct in saying that Francis Boyd would be a font of useful lore.

Again, thanks for the suggestions. Now we can get back to Japanese swords!

Peter