If you want to contact some of the catalogs we have mentioned in essays, you will find these useful. We're adding some reputable sources of books and re-enactor goods, as well. We are providing these at no benefit to ourselves, merely in the spirit of friends passing along a source. The absence of a company does not reflect negatively on them. If someone had ripped us off, we'd tell you.
Has more than two and a half million titles available, a pretty good search engine if you're just browsing an area of interest, and their express shipping is not kidding. Books can be in stock, back ordered (normally in stock, but they sold out), or special order. They even have a built-in book finding service for out-of-print books, so type in any title you're looking for: odds are it will turn up in one of the four statuses. However, sometimes the statuses are not correct, as when they listed as out-of-print a freshly re-printed book. Also very good for music. Excellent customer service, a rarity on the Web
1-800-798-7979
High-quality re-enactor costume goods, hats, materials, corsets, hoops, fans, etc, besides many books and an entire separate catalog of sewing patterns. Will also order any Dover book for you, for which you have the title, and they take credit cards while Dover wants checks or money orders. Usually gets to you faster than ordering directly from Dover, too. They even paper-wrap the books so the corners don't get dog-eared in transit. Extremely good service and straight dealing.
1-800-883-0300
Some historical goods, ranging from Victorian military sabres to obsidian knives, varying from catalog to catalog. Much modern gear, some "ethnic blades" ranging from Japanese to Cossack.
1-800-843-2665
B&N has color catalogs as well as stores and now an on-line site. The exclusive mail-order source for their books (they are publishers, largely of reprints) and lots of quality remainders. Has one million titles available. If a book is listed as published by Barnes and Noble, you may not find it any other place.
1-800-544-3456, ext. 515
Excellent non-firing replicas of many firearms, which lets you see how they weigh, handle, draw, and often break down, without the humbug of licensing (unless you're in CA, in which case you have to buy wall plaques for them or something like that) or the heavy expense of working guns, ranging from flintlocks to modern. Also Western gun belts, Civil War hats, non-battle-worthy (wall sculpture or belt jewelry) swords, daggers, axes & halberds, non-working Medieval crossbows, etc. The blades are often much heavier and clumsier than real ones.
1-800-238-6785
A one-stop source for re-enactors or students of the Colonial wars, Revolutionary War and Civil War, mountain men, and Old West. Clothes, patterns, weapons, buttons, blankets, tents, and books, books, books.
Falls Village, Ct 06031-5000
Excellent book remainder house, heavy on biography, that saves costs by publishing a catalog like a newspaper rather than something glossy in color. The titles in the catalog are not on the web site, so you really need both. The address is correct without a street number; we suspect they are the biggest business in town, that the PO can find by extended zip. No phone number for ordering, no credit cards: that's why they're cheaper.
1-800-267-6672
Has a buyer's club that gets you 20% off everything except the very few "reference books" -- they're 10% off. On a $200 or $300 order, that's considerable, and setting up to write in a period normally requires a few hundred dollars in books, unless you write at the library where everything's handy. The 75-page catalog has English language and Greek language sections. Covers the entire history of Ancient Greece, Roman Greece, the Byzantines, the Middle Ages, the Turkish Period, on through the contemporary. Especially useful is the vast collection of maps, local guides, and guides to flora and fauna. Catalog can be considered a "Greece in all periods" bibliography.
1-800-883-8838
Superb weapons and armor, with accurate historical notes, fantasy items clearly marked, passable men's costuming, women's clothes generally horrible and non-historical.
1-800-888-7228 or 1-800-777-7172
Good for WW2 and some Civil War gear, but can be so historically ignorant that they call a BC Celtic helmet a Viking helmet -- but the only source we have found for a high-quality Celtic horned helmet. They may accidently have what you're looking for, if you are savvy enough to recognize it. Largely modern high-tech gear.