indeed, try this free geniology web site and be suprised. Check especially the Message Board and GEN-DE Archive(click on th logo above)
…thanks to the many excellent webmasters, the following list -and links- comprise a world of information pertaining to (European) Arms & Armor, the Plattner profession, museum collections and exhibits, European history, suppliers of catalogs, books and other materials, which may help enlighten you to an often misunderstood subject matter. To all of those designers and authors, I respectfully raise my hat and say a heartfelt.. Thank you all!!!
This site will periodically be updated to include more links and other pertinent information…including Karl's "NEW" works currently in progress. In addition, this site will hopefully also be multi-lingual in the not so distant future. To suggest a new link from this page, please contact me.
(this page last updated: 12/06/2008
Enjoy…
Well, finally I've toured Europe again all summer, staying with my family in Wales/UK and taking periodic excursions to the continent, specifically France, Italy, Germany, as well Portsmouth/England and the Cotswold area.; this in addition to the three months I spend from Sept. to X-Mas 2007 in Europe during which time I visited incognito Lviv/Ukraine during late October/Nov. Indeed, I visited the Ukraine Historical museum in Lviv , more specifically yet the Old Armory to do research for my book.... all the while convinced I was visiting Vladivostok/Siberia during a blizzard. I learned one thing from that visit, Thank God I don't have to live there and had a place to return home to. Enough said!
However, I can and do recommend a visit to the Armory (in the Castello di Brescia) in the city of Brescia/Italy. A fantastic place, has has more than 500 impressive armors on exhibit. Don't miss the Museum of Ancient Arms: the museum is located in the Castello di Brescia and is one of the most important collections of ancient arms in Europe. The visitor will find himself surrounded by over 500 weapons and armor fabricated in Italy and Europe from the 15th to the 18th centuries. There are very rare pieces, masterpieces of technique and refinement and many made in Brescia. The museum also contains the remains of a Roman temple found during excavations. The staff was extremely accommodating and permitted me to photograph extensively; unfortunately too may windows and the bright sun cast a lot of reflections and shadows. if you're in Northern Italy, this place is a must visit !
Another place I do recommend for a visit -providing you are willing to forego any photography and stay with a group during a guided tour- is the Museo STIBBERT in Florence/Tuscany. Its a shame the place is utterly mismanaged due to the lack of funds , hence does very little catering to those who pay. I'm disappointed that such a great place and absolutely fantastic exhibit put diligently together by Frederik Stibbert during past centuries is being neglected/ignored by the Florence city fathers. By all rights I can imagine the armor touring museums around the world returning funds for its support. Here is a place that needs a lot of help and new management. The entire museum is definitely worth a visit.
http://www.vps.it/new_vps/articolo_eng.php?article=67
New York times review of the STIBBERT MUSEO: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/italy/tuscany-and-umbria/florence/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154654610017
Famous Makers and European centers of Armour Production from the MET
A resource for Historic Arms and Armor Collectors is this invaluable link that no true armorer can afford to miss. Make sure you browse the entire web site.
This just came in from my friend
Boris in Russia,
Helmschmied at the
Hermitage
in St. Petersburg. Check this
out.
The pictures are fantastic. Unfortunately, it is only in
Russian.
New 1880 Censushttp://www.familysearch.org/
Kunsthistorisches
Museum /Hofjagd- und-Rüstkammer in
Vienna/Austria
Anyone with a chance to visit here simply can't afford to miss it.
Quality and Beauty of this collection ranks supreme, which consists
primarily made for royalty and nobility, which also includes my
favorite Harnisch -made by Kunz Lochner for Nikolaus IV, Radziwill-
around 1555.
Museo
Stibbertin Florence/Italy
The collection of weapons and armour was set up by Stibbert between
1860 and the first years of the twentieth century. It offers a large
quantity of armour, steal and firearms of the period that goes from
the beginning of the sixteenth to the end of the eigthteenth, as well
as other fifteenth century pieces, archaological objects and
nineteenth century pieces. The abundance of the collections documents
the evolution of the various types of weapons through the
centuries.
The armour of the Malachite Room most of which dates back to the
sixteenth century come from Italian, German and French Schools and
corresponded war needs and warfare in general.
The
Hermitage in St. Petersburg/Russia
Originally designed todisplay the imperial
numismatic collection, the Knight's Hall now houses the
European Arms & Armor Collection from the 15th - 17th centuries.
The HERMITAGE is an absolute 'must
see' for any visitor to St.
Petersburg.
The
Higgins Armory
An exceptional museum and educational site which caters particularly
to schools, this site should not be missed.
The
Royal Armouries Website in Leeds/England
A great educational site for school teachers,
this website provides teacher resources, incl. various worksheets
based on an educational visit to the Royal Armouries , as well as
links to other museums, Medieval Warfare, more links, and also serves
as a cross curricular educational resource designed in co-operation
with the University of Leeds.
http://
www.armouries.org.uk/
Information about the Royal Armouries, its collections and much more.
Includes info about Leeds, Fort Nelson and The TOWER of
LONDON
MoW
at the Royal Armories Museum, Leeds
lots of pictures showing various armors of all types, this website
completes a grand tour through the NEW
museum...its a must see.
The
Canadian Museum of Civilisation's "Imperial Austria"
Exhibiton
This site of the Canadian Museum of Civilization is beautifully
designed and offers great pictures and information about the Imperial
Austria exhibit, famous armor, which calls the Landeszeughaus in
Graz/Austria its home.
The
Landshut wedding of 1475
Information provided by the Landeshochschule in Landshut, this site
offers information pertaining to the LANDSHUT WEDDING mentioned on my
history page. This site is multi-lingual, also offers information
about the next performance in 2001. (In English, German French
Italian)
Ken Trotman LTD, supplier
of rare books & museum catalogs
An absolute must for: "Fine Catalogs and Rare Books on Military
History and Weaponry'" Richard & Roz's catalog also offer a
section on ARMOR & EDGED WEAPONS. I have dealt with this company
(located in Cambridge/England) for many years with very favorable
results, there is no better one in this field for rare old books on
armor. They are also suppliers to museums such as the British Museum
in London, as well as the Victoria & Albert Museum, among many
others.
ZEUGHAUS /
RUESTKAMMER in Graz/Austria
A terrific site of the ZEUGHAUS in Graz/Austria offering fine
pictures of horse armor, parade armor and cavalry armor aside from a
short video tour of the arsenal besides other information. This
Armory was historically most important as the last bastion defending
Europe against islam. Its implications still being felt to this very
day in Bosnia and Kosovo. Don't miss this site!!!!!!
Photgraphs
from the Zeughaus in Graz/Austria
A detailed description of the arsenal with many fine photographs ,
this site shows various interesting views of the armory from the
perspective of different web designers. Take your time browsing and
studying the pics.
ARMOURERS (a part of
the medieval craftsman series) by Matthias Pfaffenbichler
No one serious about armor and the history of the profession should
miss this booklet (72 pages) originally published in 1992 by British
Museum Press, ISBN 0-71412-054-4 ,(available at Barnes & Noble),
this publication is also an ideal teaching tool for Middle Schools.
Well written and explained, this booklet contains many illustrations
and fantastic color photographs of plate armor dating to the 16-17th
centuries
The
New York Metropolitan Museum's Armor Collection
This link gets you to the First Floor European Armor section of the
Metropolitan Museum in New York, NY. Clicking your mouse on the Arms
& Armor link, you will get a description and picture of the
parade armor designed by German Plattner Jacob Halder for Sir George
Clifford, third Earl of Cumberland, as described in my "A short
history about Plattnerkunst". Also, available: Horse Armor.
The
works of Fillipo Negroli
The ultimate in parade armor...this link gives details in word and
pictures from and about the: Fillipo Negroli and his Contemporaries
Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is artistry in
metalwork as has never been achieved again by any individual, its a
must see.
HEROIC ARMOR OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE:
Filippo Negroli and his Contemporaries
by Stuart Pyhrr.
This book -a sumptious catalog- published in conjunction with the
previously mentioned exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York is a thorough reexamination of all the armors signed by
Filippo Negroli. Fully illustrated, this is an absolutely essential
book.
FINE ARMS & ARMOR: Treasures in the
Dresden Collection by Johannes
Schöbel
A hardcover book published by G.P.Putnam's Sons-New York, ISBN:
399-11363-0,(translated from German) this magnificent edition
features probably the most extensive collection of luxurious arms and
parade armor which I have been able to closely examine and video
tape. Large format color plates make this book a real treasure and is
highly recommended.
ARMS & ARMOR The Cleveland
Museum of Art
Another hardcover book , new (publ.April 1999) of a less well known
U.S. collection with 172 color plates and 17 halftones featuring a
number of -to me- unknown items. Especially interesting is the 17TH
CENTURY CAVALRY SPIDER HELMET which I have never seen before. ISBN:
0-940717-47-6(hc.)
Lots
of information about castles
This is only one site which offers lots of information -especially
helpful to schools teaching 4th grade and up- European history.Check
it out.
More
about castles yet,
Not only about castles, but lots more stuff, such as links to arms
and armor and free downloads, building a castle and more. This is a
site of interest to kids and adults alike.
Genealogical
research on a big scale
More in line with my page about family crests, this is an important
website for anyone wishing to research their family name. Don't miss
this one!!!!!!
Family
research
This is the genealogical Web presence of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons. With millions of records from
around the world, this church has done more then any other group to
gather genealogical records and to promote the search for family
roots.
Ancestry
And here is one more very important web site to
search for your family roots. Don't miss this
one..........
Home
to Family history Research & Fine Heraldic
Art
Many family names and family coat of arms, with free lookup, or will
research for you
The
EmderRüstkammer
A large collection of weapons and especially armor of styles nowhere
else to be found, I have visited this incredible museum several times
already, and can highly recommend it.
