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Shout out to the local libraries !


CandaceStonestreet86
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CandaceStonestreet86

I like to check out reference books before I consider buying them and my local library has been great at helping me find those within the statewide system. I live in NC so not sure how other states operate.

I'm currently looking through some of Shelby Stanton's reference books on uniforms, any go to reference books in your libraries that are a must for collectors?

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Stanton's U.S. ARMY UNIFORMS OF THE VIETNAM WAR, Stackpole Books, 1989.  The best, not only on uniforms, but field gear.  Cheap buy on Amazon.

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Rakkasan187

Just my personal thoughts on this topic,

 

The question you ask really depends on what particular area of interest you are looking for reference material on:

 

I have several thousand reference books that I have been getting since my early collecting days in the 70's. Since I was very young at the time I would check them out from my local library and spend hours looking through the pages. I would start to get these books as Christmas presents and I would also find some at flea markets and I would get them fairly cheap. At that time the books available were good sources to identify patches for example but they did not explain too well the manufacturing processes, but they were as I said good for time. Third Reich reference books of that time period were also decent for the information that was available at the time, but again those books only touched the surface of manufacturers, types of material used and other specific areas that many collectors use today to seek out original relics. 

 

With the advent of the internet and world wide web and as more information has become available and more researchers are gaining access to files at the National Archives, Bundesarchive (German records) and other sources, reference books have now advanced collecting and have provided information to collectors that at one time was not available. The internet has given us the opportunity to use advanced search engines as well as a multitude of other research capabilities.

 

Is there one go to reference book for a particular topic? Well that is really up to the collecting interests of the individual. Personally I would say no.. Each reference book will have good and in some cases bad points and information but you won't really know this information until you pick up the book. Some information may not be reliable and the differences of opinions may vary from book to book, photos may be mislabeled leading to misidentified items and then there is the use of reproductions which were thought to have been original items until again more knowledge and information has surfaced. Black and white line drawings of the 60s and 70s gave way to black and white photos and in come cases a few books contained color plates of items but the quality of photographs although at the time were decent don't compare to the pixilation and macro detailing that we get today with digital cameras and reference books today have wonderful photography and clear crisp details and close up images of a wide range of topics such as medal engravings, stitch work and embroidery of cloth insignia and a multitude of other details.

 

Another excellent reference source for insignia is a membership with the American Society of Military Insignia Collectors (ASMIC). This organization has been around for many years and their quarterly catalog "Trading Post" is a wonderful reference for insignia and is worth the annual membership fee. There are many members here who are members as well as being on the Board of Directors. ASMIC

 

Uniform collectors also have a similar society called the Association of American Military Uniform Collectors (AAMUC). Again many of our members here are contributing authors and members of these associations and have and share a great deal of knowledge with like minded collectors.  AAMUC - Association of American Military Uniform Collectors.

 

An associate and myself started a reference library section on another forum that primarily focuses on the Third Reich era but there are sub topic areas that also focus on other countries (US, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Russia, etc.) and periods of conflict and we have been adding reference books to the library almost daily and that library section has the ISBN of the book, number of pages, a scan of the cover and some other basic information in order for a new or older collector to see what books were published and in some cases which may still be available on the market for purchase. 

 

I have strayed a bit off topic but for someone who does research on daily basis as a museum curator I have learned that one can never have too many reference books to gather information from and I am always looking for more to add to the library.

 

Shelby Stanton's 4 volumes on uniforms (WW2, Korea, Vietnam and Cold War era) books are very good references that I would recommend you add to your bookshelf if you are interested in US military uniforms. Doughboy to GI by Kenneth Lewis is another very good reference book for uniforms and equipment of the US Soldier from 1900-1945. Ken is also a long time member and contributor here to our forum.. He has some of the most impressive items in his collection and some of the rarest items to boot... 

 

Lastly, opinions vary and what I may think is a decent reference book, others may disagree so you will have to have an open mind when it comes to picking up what reference books you may want for your collection.

 

Best regards, stay safe

 

Leigh  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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