Roman Bronze

The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms & Armour

M. Junkelmann, Reiter wie Statuen aus Erz, mainz, 1996, p.97, no. P 30: and H. Born and M. Junkelmann, Romische Kampf- und Turnierrustungen: Sammlung Axel Guttmann, VI, Mainz, 1997, pp. 132-135, pls. XII-XIII, 84-85 and front cover (AG 713/714).

Cf. H. Russel Robinson, The Armour of Imperial Rome, London, 1975, pp. 160-161, pls. 454-455 and figs. 163-169 for similar from Manching, Kastell Pfunz and Mundelsheim, and pp. 192-193, pls. 522-523 and 526-527 for chamfrons from Straubing Bavaria, with similar iconography: Cf. M.C. Bishop and J. C. N. Coulson, Roman Military Equipment, London, 1993, p. 73, pl. 38.4 for a similar.

One of the most remarkable and comprehensive private collections of ancient arms and armour, painstakingly assembled over 25 years by the German collector, the late Axel Guttmann. Exhibited in an atmospheric but scholarly museum-like display in his Berlin home, Axel Guttmann generously provided open access to both scholars and collectors. As well as being a museum benefactor and enthusiastic supporter of museum projects, publications and acquisitions, he also instigated a programme of conservation and scientific analysis of his own collection. Prior to his premature death, he had the satisfaction of seeing eight exemplary academic and scientific books published on the collection.

Since the Renaissance, there has been an unbroken tradition of collecting ancient arms and armour which were appreciated for their technical craftsmanship and iconography. However, it was not until Axel Guttniann formed his collection that ancient arms and armour came to be valued for their beauty and artistic richness, as well as for their historical and typological interest.

Axel Guttmann (1944-2002) was born in Krems, Austna, but grew up in Berlin after the Second World War. He became a passionate collector of fine wine, furniture, paintings, Meissen porcelain and Medieval arms and armour. Later, pursuing his personal interest in Greek and Roman military history, he extended his collecting to ancient armour and weaponry, forming the largest and most comprehensive collection from early Europe, the Mediterranean world and the Near East, dating from the 3rd millennium BC to the late Roman period.

Axel Guttmann’s inspiration was the German financier and art collector, Franz von Lipperheide (1838-1890), who had donated his collection of 92 classical helmets to the Royal museums in Berlin. In a similar way, Axel Guttniann was a patron of these museums for over 25 years, supporting projects, publications and purchases, as well as loaning items from his collection to exhibitions in both Germany and Austria. Axel Guttmann will be particularly remembered for the museum-like display of his collection in his Berlin home to which scholars and other collectors had generous access. His collection was conserved and studied in an academic and scientific manner and it is to his lasting credit that eight volumes entitled Sammlung Axel Guttmonn were published by Ihilipp von Zabern, Mainz, before his untimely death on 28 October 2001.

H. Born and L. 0. Nebelsick, Emn bronzener Prunkhelni der Hollstattzemt, 1391
H. Born, Rcstaurierung antiker Bronzcwaffcn, 1993
H. Born and S. Hansen, Frohgriechische Bronzehclmc, 1994
H. Born and U. Seidl, Schutzwoffen ems Ass yrien und Lirortu, 395
H. Born and M. Junkelmann, Rdmische Kanipf- und TurnierrOstungen, 1997
M. Kunze-Kbllensperger, Alexanders Tiere, 1999
M. Junkelmann, Rbmisehe He/mc, 2000
H. Born and S.Hansen, Helme und Waffen Alteuropos, 2001.


	established 1942