Enfilade

From Bloomsbury:

Thom Richardson and Paula Turner, eds., with photographs by Cassandra Parsons, The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Arms and Armour from Asia, Africa, and the Ottoman World (London: Philip Wilson Publishers, 2026), 560 pages, ISBN: 978-1781301203, $195.

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.