Thomas M. Johnson retired from a successful career in the United States Army in 1981 to pursue a full-time career as a professional writer. An avid collector and researcher of German edged weapons for over 40 years, he has completed his twentieth reference book on the subject of collecting edged weaponry.
His eight-volume series, Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, is considered the STANDARD upon which all references on this subject and many others are judged. Additionally, Volume VI of this series of reference books was selected by the Printing Industry of the Carolinas for the PICA Awards 1992 Award of Excellent as the best hardcover book printed in North or South Carolina. As a respected militaria researcher, LTC Johnson is constantly in demand for edged weapon appraisals and authentications. He was selected by the world's largest complex of museums and art galleries, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., to appraise a large, donated edged weapon collection.
LTC Johnson's reputation and knowledge on the subject of edged weapons are such that his expertise and authentications are accepted by the collecting community as the final stamp of approval. LTC Johnson is also President of and a major stockholder in MAX Promotions, Inc.® which annually sponsors the Militaria Antiques Xtravaganza (MAX) Show, the largest militaria show in existence. As one of the pioneers in the military edged weapon collecting field, he has, over the past 40 years, become one of the most knowledgeable authorities in the international arena of military edged weapon collectibles. LTC Johnson is a native of Cleveland, Tennessee, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, and holds a Masters degree in Operations Research (ORSA) from the University of Alabama.