THIS BOOK IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED (_All rights reserved_) PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 13 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 17 Preliminary considerations--Where to search for curios--What to search for--Specializing--Undesirable curios--The catalogue of the Royal United Service Museum--Public collections of military curios CHAPTER II REGIMENTAL NOMENCLATURE 27 Household Cavalry--Dragoon Guards--Cavalry--Artillery --Engineers--Guards--Infantry, both past and present nomenclature--Other units CHAPTER III REGIMENTAL CRESTS 39 The fascination of regimental crests--How to plan a collection of crests--The changes which crests undergo--The meaning of crests--Mottoes on crests, and their meanings CHAPTER IV MILITARY UNIFORMS 53 The growth of uniforms--The effect of the decline in armour on uniforms--The part played by Elizabeth--Uniforms in the time of the Civil War--In Charles II's reign--James II--The first two Georges--Uniforms in the Peninsular War--The close-fitting uniforms of George IV--The changes which were brought about in William IV's time--Later changes-- Peculiarities of the military dress of to-day CHAPTER V ARMOUR 69 The scarcity of good armour--Considerations for the collector--Counterfeit armour--The twelve periods in armour--The characteristics of each period--Glossary CHAPTER VI WEAPONS 89 Buying specimens--Storing them--Hand culverins--The serpentin--The wheel-lock--The flint-lock--The rifle--Swords--The effect of armour on swords--Swords with historical associations--Other weapons CHAPTER VII