# Communities > Antique Arms & Armour Community > Book Reviews >  Book on Belgian Smallswords

## BenoitD

Hello everyone, 

If I may, I would like to present my own book here: "Belgian Smallswords: Status Symbols of Times Past"












This is the very first book dedicated to Belgian smallswords and it sublimes their beauty in over 160 pages. It references official texts spanning more than 120 years in order to link models to known wearers and corresponding time periods. 

Gorgeous full-color pictures of more than 40 examples of smallswords illustrate the different models, both military or civilian, which have been used in Belgium since the independence of the country, in 1830.


I can't really write a review myself, but firmly believe it to be of value to any smallsword enthusiast or if, like me, you just can't seem to find enough books about swords in general.

Hope you like it !

Best regards,

Benoit

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## George Wheeler

Beautiful photography Benoit.  Thanks for your hard work to produce this groundbreaking volume.  I know from experience the difficultly of making such a work.  I wish you success in sales and responses.  

George

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## BenoitD

> Beautiful photography Benoit.  Thanks for your hard work to produce this groundbreaking volume.  I know from experience the difficultly of making such a work.  I wish you success in sales and responses.  
> 
> George


Hello George, thank you for the encouraging comments.

Making this book was a huge project. Selecting the tools, taking the photos, writing the text, tweaking the layout, including tables with transparent background, communicating with the printer...

But I never regretted it. I learned so much and this book needed to be written. Belgians tend to undervalue their history and I believe it is a shame.

I wanted to write this book from the moment I started collecting, but choose to create a website first as the amount of work seemed daunting.

http://https://www.swordsdb.com/SwordsDB_The_Wall.php

But I still went back and dit it !!

I am now getting the second book printed "Diamanté cut-steel swords, when bling was in". The focus is still on smallswords, mostly British, but there are a few sabres too, mostly gorgeous examples from the Naples factory.

I have found a few hunting knives decorated with cut-steel studs, but no  bayonet so far ...

I have looked up your book and it seems it is already considered a classic. Bravo !

Thank you again, 

Benoit

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## T. Donoho

your website was very nice. Please post when you have your other book finished. Thanks.

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## BenoitD

> your website was very nice. Please post when you have your other book finished. Thanks.


Hello,
Thank you for the feedback.

I am sending the file to the printer tomorrow (hoping they are not bankrupt ;-) ) and will keep you posted.

Best regards, 

Benoit

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