I wasn't sure if this should go here or the Lair, but I figured it's about pistols, so....

Just received my copy of the new book from Ian McCollum, Pistols of the Warlords. A really interesting look at Chinese produced pistols made between 1911 and 1949, the so called “Warlord Era”.

(If you want to skip the wall of text, It's great, you should get a copy!)



First of all, let’s hit the main point…. “Why”

Why a book on an admittedly small body of subject matter? After all, there are a relatively miniscule number of these pistols out in the collector’s market when compared to some others. But…. What a totally cool and interesting choice of subject matter! While I might ordinarily focus my reference material budget on a topic that directly addresses my collecting or research interests, this one was just irresistible.

A lot of the attraction initially was the author, Ian McCollum of the internet’s Forgotten Weapons. Any online search regarding a firearm will more than likely result in a link or three to a Forgotten Weapons video. So you kind of know what you are getting in terms of research and history. It is definitely a case of obscure subject matter. Once you look further into it, it turns out to be very interesting subject matter, even if collecting the actual firearms is not your goal.



Unlike most research books I purchase, there was no real goal behind getting on the pre-purchase list for this one. I’ve never seen a Chinese copy from this era at a local gun show, and only a couple of times in online auctions. I have no real desire to collect them, and given the above, it seems unlikely I would ever have the chance even if I wanted to do so. But when it comes to just learning about interesting “stuff”, I’m a sucker for the weird and wonderful.

When looked at as simply a study of an until now unexamined topic, this is a great book. The book takes a brief but very well researched look at the history of China and the Warlord Period, and features several sections devoted to biographies of key figures in China during the period, as well as a look at the history of internal weapons development in China. There are a ton of factors involved in this subject, from direct import of finished arms to the development of internal production. This book offers a good overview of all the aspects that make up the history of small arms in China during the Warlord Period, but obviously focuses in on that of indigenous production of martial handguns.

As with most armies, the handgun was seen (with the exception of the stocked Mauser C96 type) as more a badge of office than a fighting tool, and thus was required in far smaller numbers than rifles. This led to them often being farmed out to individual gunmakers rather than large scale production runs in factories. The result was a wide range of “models” featuring a huge number of minor variations from one to another. Add to that the fact that many were, if not direct copies of successful western models, were at least made to appear visually similar in order to capitalize on the popularity of those European pistols. All the above led to a fantastic variety of shapes and features, not to mention the markings….

When it comes to the markings, some have to be seen to be believed. With most of their market unable to read Chinese, much less anything written using European characters, the makers were free to simply mark their creations as they wished. Everything from misspelled words to random strings of characters, even upside down or reversed letters are found on some of these pistols. All designed to resemble the manufacturers names, patent dates, and proof marks common on popular European pistols of the time. This led to the author offering a “special edition” of the book with the cover featuring upside down images and occasional backwards characters. I couldn’t resist getting this version.



The book separates out the pistols into various types, with each featuring several versions shown in large photographs. The photography is by James Rupley, and stands out for detail and quality. The layout allows the photos to take center stage, using a clean elegant white background with text and labels inset. Many of the pistols are shown disassembled, showing off some of the more “innovative” engineering decisions used.

Between chapters are short sections covering famous figures of the era, as well as a look at Shanghai, and the Colt 1908 as modified for use with the Municipal Police. When discussing the direct copies, such as those of the Mauser C96, FN 1900, etc, the author chose to include detailed photos of the original “real” pistols, which makes for an easy comparison with the Chinese versions.



The book is 556 pages in length, hardcover, and available as a Regular Edition, Signature Edition, and a limited edition Collector’s Edition. The version I bought with the special cover was only available as a pre-order. It also came with a reprint of Dolf Goldsmith’s Arming the Dragon, a look at Chinese Mauser production. It also included a neat page of cocktail recipes, both original’s as served in a Shanghai nightclub as well as modern interpretations.



With the Regular Edition priced at $103, this might not be a book for everybody. On the other hand, the price is in line with that of other reference books on firearms, and considering the quality offered in terms of both information as well as photography, I consider this an excellent deal. If you are the kind of person that can enjoy learning about an off the wall subject “just because”, Pistols of the Warlords should be on you reading list!

Bill R

Thank you for the review on this - looks like a great book!

I don't understand the cover.

I think it’s a play on how the pistols are marked.

"Dogmeat General"? That's a hell of a title.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I don't understand the cover.

A lot of these are marked with random assortments of letters and symbols designed to look like the markings found on the original pistols to someone who doesn’t read English.



The cover on this edition just plays off that.

I guess it’s like those twenty somethings who get a tattoo of Chinese characters and then just have to hope it actually says “wisdom” instead of “extra MSG” or something…

Bill R

I thought this thread was going to be about Travis Morgan, the Warlord and his .44 Automag

One of my favorite comics back in the day.

Nice review. My copy should be arriving any day now.

quote:

Originally posted by stylophiles:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I don't understand the cover.

A lot of these are marked with random assortments of letters and symbols designed to look like the markings found on the original pistols to someone who doesn’t read English.

The cover on this edition just plays off that.

Exactly.

Probably the most famous example is the various Broomhandle Mauser knockoffs that were crudely marked "Wauser".



Forgotten Weapons even has a new tshirt they're offering, along the same lines as the book cover:

Similar to the time I was browsing the marketplace in south Korea, saw some brand new athletic shoes.....closer look......"Ah! 'Mike' brand!!"

Seemed so familiar, too.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
I think it’s a play on how the pistols are marked.

I was lost at first, but I think you hit the nail on the head.