Passing of Anthony North , V&A (ret.)

Jim McDougall · 14th June 2012, 05:38 PM

It is with great regret and sadness I have been advised that Mr. Anthony North, formerly of the Victoria& Albert Museum in London has passed away.
He was the last of those whom I have always regarded as the venerable sages of the study of arms and armour in England, the others also gone being A.V.B.Norman; Claude Blair and Ewart Oakeshott.
These kind gentlemen, and particularly Mr. North, always strove to maintain high standards in the study of arms, and led the ongoing battle to preserve the place of these studies and the history of these weapons in museums and academia.
In my earliest days of collecting and research, Mr. North, as the others, always courteously and helpfully answered my questions faithfully, and I will ever be grateful to him along with the others not only for helping me learn, but inspiring me to continue in the passionate study of this most important aspect of history.

The loss of Mr. North is great, but a reminder to carry forth our efforts following his lead in the study and research on the history of arms and armour and the preservation of them as well as thier place in history itself.

VANDOO · 14th June 2012, 06:06 PM

I AM SORRY TO HEAR OF ANOTHER LOSS OF THE ELDER GENERATION OF SCHOLARS IN THE FIELDS OF OUR INTEREST. ALL LIVES MUST END BUT THE SAD THING IS IT SEEMS THERE ARE NO NEW ONES WITH EQUAL PASSION AND PERSERVERENCE TO STEP IN TO REPLACE THESE GREAT MEN WHEN THEY ARE GONE.

colin henshaw · 14th June 2012, 09:11 PM

How sad. I met Mr Anthony North on a couple of occasions and found him to be a modest and very helpful person in regard to Antique Arms and Armour.

Atlantia · 14th June 2012, 09:16 PM

Very sad news.
His legacy will live on.

TVV · 15th June 2012, 01:11 AM

One of the first refernces I bought after I established for myself that my collecting intrest is ethnographic arms and armor was Anhony North's booklet on Islamic arms from the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is indeed very sad news that he is no longer among us.

However, I am optimistic that the study of antique arms and armor will be carried on by scholars from succeeding generations (authors like Elgood and Spring come to mind), and, as Gene aptly pointed out, Mr. North's legacy will live on in the Bibliography sections of new books on the subject.

thinreadline · 15th June 2012, 07:40 AM

Well said Jim, I too am very sorry to hear of his death. Like many others his books were amongst my first on the subject and certainly inspired my passion for arms & armour.

Matchlock · 15th June 2012, 11:05 AM

Yes, modest and helpful, as Colin said, are the words that probably characterized Tony North best.
I met him in his office by special appointment in August 1997 where he showed me an interesting mid-16th c. sellf-spanning wheellock arquebus that he had taken out of a glass case in the showroom and wished me to comment on. So I took a photo of him presenting the gun which we dismantled afterwards.

I am very sad to hear that he is gone.
R.I.P., Tony.

Michael

Iain · 15th June 2012, 12:18 PM

Very sad news, however I at least an thankful for the legacy of his written work, as others have stated above.

Very interesting photo Michael.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 17th June 2012, 06:18 PM

A legend in his own time. Anthony North. I'm sure he would like to be remembered exactly as he is seen in the photograph by Matchlock... an inspiration to us all.
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

14th June 2012, 05:38 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	Passing of Anthony North , V&A (ret.) It is with great regret and sadness I have been advised that Mr. Anthony North, formerly of the Victoria& Albert Museum in London has passed away. He was the last of those whom I have always regarded as the venerable sages of the study of arms and armour in England, the others also gone being A.V.B.Norman; Claude Blair and Ewart Oakeshott. These kind gentlemen, and particularly Mr. North, always strove to maintain high standards in the study of arms, and led the ongoing battle to preserve the place of these studies and the history of these weapons in museums and academia. In my earliest days of collecting and research, Mr. North, as the others, always courteously and helpfully answered my questions faithfully, and I will ever be grateful to him along with the others not only for helping me learn, but inspiring me to continue in the passionate study of this most important aspect of history. The loss of Mr. North is great, but a reminder to carry forth our efforts following his lead in the study and research on the history of arms and armour and the preservation of them as well as thier place in history itself.

15th June 2012, 11:05 AM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Yes, modest and helpful, as Colin said, are the words that probably characterized Tony North best. I met him in his office by special appointment in August 1997 where he showed me an interesting mid-16th c. sellf-spanning wheellock arquebus that he had taken out of a glass case in the showroom and wished me to comment on. So I took a photo of him presenting the gun which we dismantled afterwards. I am very sad to hear that he is gone. R.I.P., Tony. Michael Attached Images

14th June 2012, 06:06 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I AM SORRY TO HEAR OF ANOTHER LOSS OF THE ELDER GENERATION OF SCHOLARS IN THE FIELDS OF OUR INTEREST. ALL LIVES MUST END BUT THE SAD THING IS IT SEEMS THERE ARE NO NEW ONES WITH EQUAL PASSION AND PERSERVERENCE TO STEP IN TO REPLACE THESE GREAT MEN WHEN THEY ARE GONE.

14th June 2012, 09:11 PM	#3
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	How sad. I met Mr Anthony North on a couple of occasions and found him to be a modest and very helpful person in regard to Antique Arms and Armour.

14th June 2012, 09:16 PM	#4
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Very sad news. His legacy will live on.

15th June 2012, 01:11 AM	#5
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,598	One of the first refernces I bought after I established for myself that my collecting intrest is ethnographic arms and armor was Anhony North's booklet on Islamic arms from the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is indeed very sad news that he is no longer among us. However, I am optimistic that the study of antique arms and armor will be carried on by scholars from succeeding generations (authors like Elgood and Spring come to mind), and, as Gene aptly pointed out, Mr. North's legacy will live on in the Bibliography sections of new books on the subject.

15th June 2012, 07:40 AM	#6
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	Well said Jim, I too am very sorry to hear of his death. Like many others his books were amongst my first on the subject and certainly inspired my passion for arms & armour.

15th June 2012, 12:18 PM	#8
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,680	Very sad news, however I at least an thankful for the legacy of his written work, as others have stated above. Very interesting photo Michael.

17th June 2012, 06:18 PM	#9
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	A legend in his own time. Anthony North. I'm sure he would like to be remembered exactly as he is seen in the photograph by Matchlock... an inspiration to us all. Ibrahiim al Balooshi.