Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Montino Bourbon · 6th August 2009, 03:37 PM

I visited Thailand last year. The main royal palace and its attendant temples are incredible; basically a city, with some of the most impressive art I have ever seen.

While stopped for a moment next to a wing of the palace, I looked inside a room through a window and saw racks of swords, dha's, and spears. There were hundreds, neatly racked, without sheaths, and rusting. I (Thought I) recognized a Pattaya-era dha from it's slightly rounded point, beautiful shape, and length.

These weapons were obviously some that had served to defend the throne at some time. I noticed, even from the door, some combat nicks in a few of them. We were not allowed to go in.

These weapons were totally uncared for. They were within their historical context, in a country where the military and its tradition is strong.

We understand something about weapons and their importance, their esthetic qualities, and their importance both historically and as an artifact. Other people don't care. I cringe when I see a musical instrument of value and obvious utility on a wall. Other people couldn't care less. It's what one fucuses on that gets the polish, the care. My step-father was the president of the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York. I got to go and look and talk to the curators in the basement. They have MANY HUNDREDS of Nihonto in drawers that are never seen. I don't have the slightest idea what else they have, keris or others. I do know that they do take care of the collection very well. There's NO rust, and I can attest to that. Stain? probably not, but at this stage, I don't know. They have INCREDIBLE Oriental and western weapons. The sword of the Ottoman emperor Murad the fifth has big emeralds on its incredible fittings, and the blade is wonderful.

6th August 2009, 03:37 PM	#16
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 301	another example I visited Thailand last year. The main royal palace and its attendant temples are incredible; basically a city, with some of the most impressive art I have ever seen. While stopped for a moment next to a wing of the palace, I looked inside a room through a window and saw racks of swords, dha's, and spears. There were hundreds, neatly racked, without sheaths, and rusting. I (Thought I) recognized a Pattaya-era dha from it's slightly rounded point, beautiful shape, and length. These weapons were obviously some that had served to defend the throne at some time. I noticed, even from the door, some combat nicks in a few of them. We were not allowed to go in. These weapons were totally uncared for. They were within their historical context, in a country where the military and its tradition is strong. We understand something about weapons and their importance, their esthetic qualities, and their importance both historically and as an artifact. Other people don't care. I cringe when I see a musical instrument of value and obvious utility on a wall. Other people couldn't care less. It's what one fucuses on that gets the polish, the care. My step-father was the president of the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York. I got to go and look and talk to the curators in the basement. They have MANY HUNDREDS of Nihonto in drawers that are never seen. I don't have the slightest idea what else they have, keris or others. I do know that they do take care of the collection very well. There's NO rust, and I can attest to that. Stain? probably not, but at this stage, I don't know. They have INCREDIBLE Oriental and western weapons. The sword of the Ottoman emperor Murad the fifth has big emeralds on its incredible fittings, and the blade is wonderful.