The Catalogue

of the Armoury

of the Princes Czartoryski Museum

by Tomasz Kusion

 Kraków 2019

The legendary Princes Czartoryski Museum is one of the most important Polish museums holding masterpieces of Polish and European art, inlcuding famous “Lady with the Ermine” by Leonardo da Vinci.

One of the departments of this museum is The Armoury, one of the best and unique military collection with over 1000 historical items and for the first time in its history part of the Armoury collection is described in comprehensive catalogue:

250 objects

600 pages!

English translation!

The catalogue contains objects dated from 12th to 19th century including:

• edged weapons
• pole arms
• projectile and firearms
• armours
• uniforms
• banners and flags
• equestrian equipment
• rank insignia and military decorations

The unique character of the Princes Czartoryski Museum made author to propose unusual order of the objects in the catalogie, which are divided into few groups:

1. objects linked with Polish and European monarchs and rulers,
2. objects linked with dignitaries, military leaders, prominent historical figures,
3. objects dating to significant historical events,
4. objects without a particular reference, sorted according to their place of origin.

The moment of the publication is also significant. After 10 years of abscence, a new exhibition at the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow (Poland) was opened. The old exhibition and its description can be still found on the PolishArms.com website: here.