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#1 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
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#2 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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We, sword collectors, think that our acquisition of things sharp and pointy is a form of investment. Indeed, the prices went up and up for many years.
However, this article offers a sobering thought: if there are no buyers, there is no value. Sword collection is more than just amassing used lottery tickers: it requires familiarity and appreciation of history in all its manifestations. The coming generations have not been educated the way we were (for better or for worse!) and history is not their forte. They grew up with the idea that there are "generations" of things(computers, tapes/DVDs, TVs etc, etc) and that with the advent of a new "generation", the earlier one becomes obsolete and needs to be discarded. The idea of "obsolescence" is a death sentence of collecting! Since most people start collecting when they are financially stable (~ 40-50 yo), the guy who would be potentially interested in paying a lot of money for my swords 20 years down the road, must be in his mid-20s, ie in college, right now. How many history-minded college students do you know? I am afraid, my swords will decrease in value 5 years down the road and will be worthless by the time I hit the retirement age. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
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As Ariel said our kind of collecting is a sort of investment.
However I dissagree with him about the value decrease in the future. I honestly think that thoose nowdays kids who play games like Prince of Persia, Berserk, Ninja Gaiden ecc. and watch moovies like KillBill, Last Samurai ecc. at a certain age will be enthusiastic to buy some stuff they saw in thoose beloved games/films and they'll be prepared to pay big bucks for it (even more than we do today, 'cos we/you weren't not so much under the affect of the mass-media ;o). I think that interest in collecting will fall over the years, but the number of people who will be enraptured to put a pair of katana or shamshir on the wall will drastically increase due to thoose movies and games. Beeig myself still pretty young (I've just turned 26 and I still play games and I'm certainlly not ashamed of that) I can confirm that all my coevals are shocked upon my collection. Further, I was selling a 3000$ katana made by osafune sukesada the previous week and I've sold it just yesterday to a pampered youngser just yesterday for a double price. When he saw my little collection he almost felt to a down, he wanted my 13 Luk Keris so badly, 'cos he had seen it in Prince of Persia (yes, games are sometimes stupid), but unfortunatelly it wasn't for sale ![]() So do not underestmate the power of modern media... Just take a look at the big bucks United Cuttlery and other licenciaries are doing by producing and selling sword and other regalia from the films. I guess that someone would be prepared to buy a real japanese gunto (also appeared in many movies) rather that thoose modern made trash, if he would KNOW that he can get it for just the double price... Well I also predict an even greater increase of Nazi and Soviet memorabilia. Why? Well I guess that bad guys were always and will be for ever verry popular. ![]() On the other hand I'm almost certain that stamps, coins, or more "stupid" things like pencils and lottery tickets or antique toalette paper (what the hell???) and all that meaningless stuff will fall into oblivion sooner or later. Well, for the end, if you, older collectors have probblems with afterdeath disposal of your collections, I offer volounteer to take it over and I promise to maintain your collections properly ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by Valjhun; 27th February 2006 at 05:43 PM. |
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#4 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
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I have it covered for now. My 14yr old has already picked out all my prime pieces and told me when I kick off he is going to take over my collection
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#5 |
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Location: Europe
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Hi Rick,
In a way Ariel is right, but on the other hand – and I think all collectors should realise this – what we have, all of it is on loan. On loan for further generations. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
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I think some collecting really does verge on "OCD" and when these collections lack any distinguishing merit their future may well be in doubt or become a museum of curio, I am afiad I might see pencils that way even if some are quite old. As for the things we collect, so long as our societies remain and others attain wealth to enable collecting I am sure the interest is constant. Youngsters grow up and anything can become the catalyst. Just look at some of the lovely young ladies fresh from university that one sees presenting historical documentaries and the like on TV. Tim
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#7 | |
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Location: USA
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#8 | |
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#9 |
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Another angle, if society is to assume civilisation, culture and indeed wealth continues on a upward curved graph line then with most of the artifacts we collect particularly the really "ethnic" stuff will become more and more objects from another world. People will never loose the fascination for these things. Just look at the demand for repro stuff of various qualities, often the same price and not infrequently a lot more than the real thing. Tim
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#10 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
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Interesting article
I take my children to the antique stores and try to keep them interested. I also have started each one of them a different collection for them to build upon. Hopefully they will |
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#11 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Singapore
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And how many of us wanted a dha after watching Suriyothai or Sema: Warrior of Ayutthaya, or a jian after watching Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or The Hero? Now we just need someone to make a movie on the Moros and the kris-guys will probably see their collection double in value. ![]() |
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#12 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Made in 1939 available on videotape VHS digitally remastered with stereo sound . Try : filmwest@pacbell.net |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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The Master and Commander series contains one book in which Jack and crew fend off attacks from kris waving pirates. It is closely based on a true event which staretd with a British shipwreck in ~1813. In the true life story the Captain manages to fend survive the accidental grounding on an unchartered reef, rescue his crew, deliver a VIP Envoy, organize an economy, and fend off heavy pirate attacks; not only do they survive but they do so without losing a single crew member - and on the way home the Captain even gets to meet with Napolian on Elba. The novel is greatly toned down; nobody would believe the real story even if it was true.
Perhaps the powers that be will pursuade Russel Crow to take a shot at a sequel to Master and Commander. n2s |
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#14 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I wish they had done the novel of the same name (Master and Commander) instead of making a "portable soup" of many of the novels rolled into one . Beggars cannot be choosers though . I think I've read all of O'Brian's stuff at least three times . ![]() I'd like to see Ridley Scott direct the next O'Brian movie ( with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany of course ) . |
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#15 | |
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#16 | |
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#17 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Do not get me wrong: I am a collector and this is my passion. I collect for myself and not for my ungrateful grandchildren. I do not do it for investment purposes but just for my own joy, for the love of history and for the pure pleasure of posessing the most beautiful objects of art I know. Nothing will change my attitude. It is just the times are a'changing.... Hope I am wrong!!! |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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It's a shame! Martial arts, no matter from what countries, are indistinguishable from the cultures themselves. It's part of our heritage, and so the antique weapons they fought with. It's very interesting if you study conflicts of each cultures and how they deal with them, using different types of weapons and strategies against the enemies. For example, even still today, soldiers in Thailand use bribed so they could fight on the front line. that's pretty cool, I say. We just need people like you to spread the words.
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#19 |
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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It is rather simple I suppose.
There will always be young men that love cold steel. ![]() |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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What an interesting debate to participate!All you gentlemen covered a theme that it is in the mind of every collector of bladed weapons.And after us what?Who will take our small or big collection?Is anyone,our children or anybody,will be interesting in that kind of stuff?
Especially for the keris collectors.If we believe that the keris is "possesed"by somekind of a spirit,if we leave this world (in many,many years from now!!) what is going to happen with this poor spirit?Or the beautiful work a blacksmith or empu had done?Lost for ever?Rust? Maybe the collection thing is somekind of a vanity.When all your collection ends in a flea market...I dont know ..its kind of sad.. |
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#21 | |
Vikingsword Staff
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#22 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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![]() ![]() This is the volume in which the Master and Commander crew battles Dyaks and Malays. It is available here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039...lance&n=283155 n2s |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
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Greetings to all,
To the elder collectors here, I'd like to say that there will always be younger generations to care for your collections. You yourselves have taken up this activity on the trails of those before you who got them from original sources in some cases. I have barely started my collection and I'm the same age Bluerf was when he started. Like my cotemporaries I do carry by 5 gig mp3 player ![]() ![]() I think that young people at my age are just getting mature enough to be attracted by the cultures and histories represented by edged weapons. As they learn more, they inevitably become more involved in this activity - or even life style. Regards, Manolo |
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#24 |
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ahem!
you dont have to be in your twenties to own an mp3 player. .............do you? ![]() |
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#25 |
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I would agree there, but I must say I was not necessarily thinking of acts of violence, we digress and the gods will be upon us. Tim
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#26 | |
Vikingsword Staff
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Indeed they will . ![]() |
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#27 | |
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#28 |
(deceased)
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"ETHINOGRAPHIC ART" WILL ALWAYS HAVE WORTH AS LONG AS THERE ARE GALLERIES AND AUCTIONS SUCH AS SOUTHBYS AND CHRISTIES AND ANTIQUE ROADSHOW. MUCH IF NOT MOST OF THEIR SALES ARE FOR INVESTMENT POTENTIAL NOT JUST TO COLLECT BECAUSE YOU ARE INTERESTED AND LOVE THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THE ITEMS OFTEN BECOME VALUABLE BECAUSE THE CULTURES WHO PRODUCED THEM ARE EITHER GONE OR DON'T MAKE THINGS NEAR THE QUALITY AS THE OLD ORIGINAL ITEMS. LESS EXAMPLES OF A TYPE OF ITEM LEADS TO HIGHER PRICES DUE TO ITS RARITY SO WELL CRAFTED EXAMPLES SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE. COLLECTORS OF EDGED WEAPONS ARE ODDBALLS COMPARED TO MOST OF THE VERY NUMEROUS REDNECK CULTURE WHO ONLY DISCUSS,SPORTS,WOMEN,POWER TOOLS, CARS, TV PROGRAMS, FISHIN AND HUNTING ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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