[A. G. Maisey]

Many of us would know of Robert Hales. It would probably not be overstating the case if I were to refer to Robert Hales as the most influential dealer of our time in Eastern Edged Weaponry.

Well, it seems that he has written a book.

This morning I received an email from a good friend who is also a friend of Robert Hales, here is the content of that email:-

"--- Attached is a flyer for Bob Hales's forthcoming book - many marvellous things in it, including
Over 850 colour and over 150 b/w photographs (graphic reproduction and some original photography by David Watson), with descriptions (including valuable information about e.g. styles, manufacture, dates, and sometimes provenance), of very fine weapons that have passed though Robert Hales's hands during a lifetime dealing with them, including a number of exceptional keris, keris hilts, and other Indonesian weapons. Items 145, 225, 227, 288-9, 292-300, 318, 438, 461, 489-91, 494-8, 500, 912, 914, Indonesian weapons, including (225) a 17th-cent. Sumatran dagger, an early form of rencong, (318) a siwaih, (494) a parang betino, (496-8) three kampilan, two with bone hilts, one with an ivory hilt; 274-87, 290-1, 301-317, 319-29, 356, 883, 911 (and p. 377), keris, some very early, including, (287) a Sulawesi royal keris, and (pp. 126-30), an account of Richard Swan(n) and the keris given to him in 1640; 330-55, 356-9, keris hilts; (360-87, very fine dha hilts, with, pp. 148-53, detailed explanations of their iconography by Noel F. Singer); 499, 913, Dayak shields; 676-7, Malay matchlock guns; 749, a lantaka, 792, Moro armour; 846-7, 849-50, Moro shields and helmets; 848, the hilt of a pirah; 869, a barong. ---"

I don't know how I can make the flyer available here, as it is in PDF format and it would probably infringe Forum rules were I to publish it here, however, anybody who thinks that they might be interested in acquiring a copy can PM me for contact details.