Collectible Military Clothing

Authors Queen and Berger have produced a field guide to U.S. textile and clothing collections open to the public, with the goal of identifying and promoting such collections. The guide was developed with the assistance of members of the Costume Society of America, who agreed to collect data from their regions. Although some of these collections also appear in the annual Official Museum Directory, this guide is more extensive and includes collections from very small--"1 mannequin dressed in cowboy ensemble" at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Oklahoma--to the more than 80,000 items at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Each of the 2,604 listings includes at least contact information, and more than 800 entries also include details about the range and focus of the collection as well as access information. The additional data were obtained from the results of a survey sent to each of the sites identified by the members.

The guide is arranged alphabetically by state and then by city or town. At the beginning of each state chapter is a map that shows where the collections are located. Detailed information includes hours, days open, contact person, and collection type as well as a brief description. Collection types are broadly categorized in six groups: clothing, accessories, costumes, uniforms, general textiles, and quilts and flags. The index is an alphabetical list of the museums and collections; however, there is no index to specific types of items or garments, such as wedding dresses or uniforms. In addition, the volume is laced with photos submitted by the various museums and collections, but none of the photos are indexed.

Overall, this is a valuable resource, recommended for all libraries with related specializations or where patrons may have an interest in the topic. The flaws seem minor compared to the fact that the volume costs less than $40. Diana Shonrock
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian

The visual satisfaction I feel about Mexico's popular arts is one of pure delight. Through their art and clothing I can inhabit a part of their strong traditions, especially in my "niche" the Mexican costume doll. After many years of collecting Mexican dolls and their tourist clothing I realized how important it was to document what I learned and to share my dolls with the rest of the world. Very few if any of Mexico's popular arts books acknowledge the Mexican made dolls and there is no publication that has exclusively recognized them. Mexico's contribution of folk art sustained the integrity of their culture during the 20th c. The tourist dolls and clothing have been highly coveted but yet there is no concrete data to document the artisans or the makers. I am proud to present you with a book that is not only a tribute to the dolls and the clothing but also a credible book full of insightful detail and information about their origns and distinctive attributes. I hope you enjoy the dolls & some of my pieces of Mexican folk art . Most of them are from my private collection, no longer seen at the typical retail shops.

Collecting uniforms of the Soviet Union is fairly new, because the Soviet regime did not collapse until December 1991. This book picks up the story of the women in Soviet military and paramilitary uniform that came into service in 1941, and takes the reader all the way through to 1991.  Extensive effort has been made by the author to include every possible detail relating to Soviet women’s uniforms in all military and paramilitary services. Translated tables providing an extensive look at rank, service and Corps identification have been included.   The book features an extensive amount of information for the collector of Soviet women’s uniforms – not just through photographs and illustrations, but by providing buyer’s tips and important information to help identify originals from reproductions. There are no illegal fakes around, because the Soviet Union never had any copyright laws in this area, but there are many new items on the market which are being passed off as original, like those produced by TV, film and theatre suppliers. This book will help the discerning collector spot the difference.

"Vanished Armies: A Record of Military Uniform Observed and Drawn in Various European Countries During the Years 1907 to 1914, is, with its realistic figure drawings, vivid colour and artist’s notes, a fascinating, handsome volume. It was published at the behest of the Army Museum’s Ogilby Trust, to which many of the paintings were bequeathed by the artist’s daughter." -The Times (January 2010)

"Vanished Armes offers a collection painted in the early 1900s by author AE Haswell Miller, a Scottish artist and army officer fascinated by military dress. It appears in print for the first time and provides a collection of watercolors and notes, key to any military history collection." -The Midwest Book Review (February 2010)

"As a student of military history, uniforms, toy soldier and military miniatures, I have found this book to be a highly valuable reference source Enthusiasts also have three kind of books in their collections: The ones that seemed like a good idea at the time, the good books and the really great books. Vanished Armies is a very special book. I am sure that it will be put in readers' really great book category." -Joe DeMarco, Toy Soldier & Model Figure

"Miller's hand is talented, and he is able to capture the essence of dignity, pride, and tradition in these soldiers' uniforms just before, as the title suggests, they vanished.  The vast majority of Vanished Armies is dedicated to displaying the color plates Miller created. Beyond a couple of paragraphs introducing the recent history of the uniforms, the text mostly closely resembles footnotes in the back of a book, or perhaps foreshadowed numbered bullet points, as we would call them today. Military history buffs will also enjoy Vanished Armies.  It covers a time period often overlooked in wargaming, but perhaps has no equal in terms of visual appeal of the soldiers.  I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the topic." -Jim Zabek, The Wargamer / www.wargamer.com (March 2010)

"This is truly an outstanding work and is one that should be in the collection of enthusiasts of this particuilar time period. A real jewel of a book and one that I can easily recommend to you." - Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness