The Armor and Arms Club

The Armor and Arms Club is the oldest Medieval and Renaissance arms collectors' club in the United States. It was founded in 1921 by Dr. Bashford Dean, who was also the founder and first Curator of the Department of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which has one of the premier collections of arms and armor worldwide.

Originally made up of wealthy and prominent armor collectors and scholars, the Club has broadened its interests and membership over the years to include more modern arms in accordance with antique gun collector interests. Present Club activities include dinner meetings with speakers several times a year in New York and occasional field trips and attendance as invited to Metropolitan Museum exhibit openings and private sales events. Membership is still open only to collectors and scholars such as museum staff, and is by invitation only: [See “MEMBERSHIP”]

The Club's membership includes 20 honorary (museum) members. Income from dues and initiation fees is used to support Armor and Arms Club activities, programs to increase club membership, and arms museums, in accordance with Dr. Dean's charter.