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Antique & Historical Arms Collectors Guild of Victoria Inc. caring for Victoria’s heritage for tomorrow.

Founded in 1963, the Guild is dedicated to the collection, preservation, research and interpretation of antique and historically significant arms, accoutrements and ephemera.

When the Guild was established in 1963 it provided the small group of private collectors in Victoria, indeed Australia at that time, with a means of sharing new finds, researching their collections, and generally enjoying their pursuit. It also offered a political voice to the issue of adequate heritage protection being offered to antique arms, in a decade which saw much of Melbourne’s heritage architecture under threat from destruction.

Today, the essential aims of the Guild remain the same – to provide a network for fellow collectors to share and enjoy their pursuit, and to advocate and lobby for recognition of the important heritage status afforded to the items in private ownership.

The private collector has an important in continuing to preserve our cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations.

Anyone with an interest in heritage arms is welcome to join The Guild, irrespective of whether they intend to collect or not. The Guild’s membership represents the largest single body of knowledge on this subject in Victoria, and its members include both enthusiasts as well as professionals employed within the field of heritage arms and the museum sector.

Where to meet us, and how to join

The Guild holds monthly meetings on the last Monday of the month at Eley Park Community Centre, 87 Eley Road, Blackburn South, Melbourne (Melways ref: 61-H5). We warmly welcome, and encourage, all prospective members to come along to one of these meetings.

If planning to attend, let us known by email beforehand, and we will ensure a member of the Guild committee is on hand to meet you, and answer any queries you might have about the organisation.