ANTIQUES OF PAST WARS

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 15

ANTIQUES OF PAST WARS

Collecting Militaria. By R. J. WilkinsonLatham. John Gifford. 192 pp. N.Z. price $13.95. (Reviewed by David Gunby) Until recently, the collection of militaria was the somewhat arcane hobby of a small group of enthusiasts, usually former servicemen. Now, however, partly stimulated by a search for inflation-proof investments, but more the product of a growing fascination with the past, the acquisition of military antiques is the concern of a large number of collectors, many of whom have no service connections. With so many comparative novices in the market for militaria, there is a need for a general guide to the subject. This Mr Wilkinson-Latham has most ably provided. A scion of Wilkinson Sword, Limited, he has (not surprisingly) been interested in swords, bayonets and uniforms since an early age, and has written

extensively on the subject, as well as joining his brother in running a shop specialising in military antiques. In range, “Collecting Militaria” is most impressive, covering the armies of the major Northern European powers and the United States from the end of the seventeeenth century to the demise of full dress in 1914. In achieving such coverage, however, Mr Wilkinson-Latham has had to be rigorously selective. Only in dealing with the British Army (where he defers, no doubt to his English readership) does he go into considerable detail. For the rest he is able, within the limits of the book, to supply little more than a summary coverage. Even so, and allowing that this book does not. cover such armies as the Dutch, Belgian, Swiss or any in southern Europe, this is a remarkably useful guide, handsomely illustrated, and it should clear up many doubts and confusions for novice collectors.