Claude Blair, CVO, OBE, FSA (30 November 1922 21 February 2010) was a British museum

curator and scholar, who specialised in European arms and armour.

Blair was born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancashire, and educated atWilliam Hulme's Grammar
School in Manchester. He then served in theBritish Army during World War Two; he was an officer in
the Royal Artillery before an accident ended his active service and he spent the rest of the war
working the Army's small arms testing unit.
Having returned from the war, Blair studied history at the University of Manchester. After graduating
with a Bachelor's degree, he became an assistant to James Mann, the Master of the Armouries at
the Tower of London. During this time he began researching and writing; this led to the publication of
his magnum opus, "European Armour, circa 1066 to circa 1700" which was published in 1958.
In 1956, Blair moved to the Victoria and Albert Museum, also in London. He was an Assistant Keeper
from 1956 to 1966, Deputy Keeper from 1966 to 1972, and Keeper of Metalwork from 1972 to his
retirement in 1982. In retirement, he was active in church conservation and served as Vice-President
of the Society of Antiquaries of London between 1990 and 1993.
Blair was married to Joan from 1952 until her death in 1996. Together they had one son, John Blair,
who is historian and archaeologist at Oxford University. Claude Blair received a number of honours
including being made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and a Commander of the
Royal Victorian Order (CVO), elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA), and
being awarded the Medal of the Arms and Armour Society and the Gold Medal of the Society of
Antiquaries.