Dear Ben,
Thank you for the long post. You have some very good information. I will email with you privately and get some specific info. I find the Nias an interesting culture and want to know more.
Is the Museum database in English? It would be wonderful for you to post a link here. There are quite a few people who would be interested.
"$5,000 book"? Is that USD?
I understand about people copying authentic pieces to sell to the tourist market. Certainly this happens.
My personal focus is on Javanese keris. I have fair collection and was working with a world-class teacher. Business reasons caused me to interrupt my studies, I just did not have the quality time to invest. There is also a Javanese prohibition on displaying blades in public, including forums.
So I don’t feel comfortable posting pictures of the blades. I could post pictures of the complete piece, but then people would want to see the blades also. This is frustrating for me because I like sharing, teaching and learning.
I like people and I like the ethnographic community, so I began acquiring pieces outside the Javanese areas I was studying. Pieces that are ok to be photographed and posted..
To me, the study of Ethnographics must to take place within the understanding of the culture, the religion, the sociology, the political, the art and even architecture of the culture --- but most importantly the people of the culture.
So I use the Internet and these forums to develop relationships with people in other countries so that when I visit, I am not just going like any other tourist. I am going to meet with friends, dealers and collectors I have developed over the internet.
I also believe in abundance. There are plenty of weapons available.
I wanted a nice twistcore kris recently, but was outbid by my dear friends Dave and Lonna. While I wanted it, I recognized that it wanted to go to them, so I revel in their joy and only feel sad that my bid was such that they paid a lot more than if I had not bid.
But here are plenty more twistcore kris out here. But only one Dave and Lonna.
Now I have a few pieces. You have a few, Cy has a few --- but we are merely custodians, taking care of them. Someday, in we will personally be gone and someone else will be their custodians.
BUT the important thing (to me) the crucial thing is that we keep putting people first. The weapons are a common medium that bring us all together. But the weapons are NOT the most important thing here.
People are!
In business I am a very competitive person. My nature is one of competition. Once I decided to learn ballroom dancing. I took many private lessons with top quality teachers. I became quite good. Good enough to enter dance competitions and win.
I have always loved dancing. But I found a distasteful behavior rising in me. As I entered competitions I began to HAVE to win! I HAD to beat my friends in the dance shows. I did not like the way I was behaving.
One day, I quit the dance competitions. I realized that I was letting winning get in the way of my friendships, and you know, Ben, it wasn’t fun anymore.
I am here, on this Forum --- in this life --- to enjoy people. To learn and teach.
So let’s not lose sight of the fact that people are more important than weapons. One day when we each move on, we will not take the weapons with us, but I think that we will take our friends!
There are people who just rub us the wrong way. I don’t have a problem distancing myself from those who would try to invade my calm center. Unless attacked, I prefer to go my own way. Most of the time I walk away because I don’t care to be pulled into their negativity.
And sure, I can get irritated by people who say the way I collect is wrong. What I collect and how I collect is my business and my lifestyle.
Life is like a salad bar, you walk up and make your choices. Sometimes you ask your friend, “Is that good?” Sometimes you make different choices. But I think it is improper to tell your friend he should not eat the anchovies because you don’t like them! If he doesn’t like what you order, he is free to order something else.
We will have agreements and disagreements. I like an environment where we can discuss and learn. In another thread I have posted an Ethiopian sword. Some people think the hilt is Rhino horn. Others think it is something else.
I really don't know, but I am enjoying the conversation and learning. For example Rhino is preferred as a sword hilt because when it gets wet, it becomes more sticky and the hand can hold it better.
Another post tells me that this mystery sword I bought because I like the handle and shape is from Sumatra. And we talk about it for a while. And I make new, and interesting friends.
Real estate has been good for me. I can pretty much buy what I want, but I recognize that many of my friends here are not in that position. Sometimes I accidentally overbid a friend or Forumite. Often I email them and apologize and ask if they want the piece for my bid.
And sure, I ask for help from experts. I do this in business as well. I spend a lot of money with CPAs, income tax lawyers, appraisers and portfolio analysts.
Why not ask for help from people on this Forum who have spent a lot of time studying a particular area? I find a Vietnamese crossbow. I have never even seen one before. I will ask a Forumite his opinion. He sees these pieces and is familiar with them. I would be a fool NOT to ask his opinion.
If I find I am being solicited by a dealer I have never heard of before. I WILL ask around. Some dealers are solid knowledgeable people. Some are not. I don’t care to waste my time. Please understand that my last remark is NOT aimed at anyone.
So that is me. Now I want to go and play with my kris. BTW I do think that kris and keris have a very special place in the world. They seem like living beings. They love attention. I have a hard time seeing one be mistreated without saying something.
My God, my wife, my close friends, my dogs and my keris, in that order. It works for me!
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