Collecting:- opinions sought

rasjid · 28th April 2013, 12:55 AM

Hi Alan and forum members,

Yes, I do believe society, cultural, place of origin, etc affect us in how we collect things. In Keris specifically we can say few stages happen:
1. Learning stages: u only listen and absorb:dangerous stage

with limited knowledge - possibility get burnt if you are not carefull. This is also depending on who is your local ring ( people you know and telling you) could be local n possibly overseas. Thanks to internet n this forum as well.
2. Absorb, study/ research and comparing to what you really want to achieve. At this stage early stage information and also your background knowledge play a part. (Your previous knowledge, etc like Jean mentioned in previous post)
I myself, like to see the harmony in keris. Not only on the Keris itself with their pamor material or design, their slorok, garap, estimate of age, etc. But also their accessories: handle, rongko etc. All have to be in harmony. You can't put keris kodean into cendono rongko with suoso pendok.
3. Maybe after all two points above happens, we are coming at the stage either to stop collecting (caused burnt to much or wrong in making decisions or your partner want to leave you....) or just slowing down re-arrange what you want, review and either making one for your self or wait until a good one arrived within your budget.

Regards
Rasjid

A. G. Maisey · 28th April 2013, 03:28 AM

Thank you Guwaya and Rasjid.

We seem to be getting into a more general discussion now, so I'm going to make a few remarks of my own.

My questions were directed at collecting in general, not specifically at keris.

I do not really identify myself as a collector of keris. I used to be, but these days I spend much more time, and money, on research and learning about the keris than I do on collecting, in fact I have begun to downsize my collection, whilst at the same time increasing my involvement in learning, not about the keris as such, but rather about all that is behind what we can see.

I collect other things:- pocket knives, paper weights, ivories, watches, small carvings, keris hilts (as distinct from keris). About these things that I only collect, rather than study, I know almost nothing:- I can classify them, name them, describe them, value them, but I know just about nothing apart from that. I wallow in ignorance, and I feel no need to learn more about these other things, I simply appreciate the object. The exception is of course keris hilts, which overlaps my interest in keris.

So possibly the collector is a person who just appreciates and understands what he can see, possibly he feels no need to delve into those matters associated with his collecting interest, which he cannot see.

28th April 2013, 12:55 AM	#1
rasjid Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Jakarta - Indonesia Posts: 114	Hi Alan and forum members, Yes, I do believe society, cultural, place of origin, etc affect us in how we collect things. In Keris specifically we can say few stages happen: 1. Learning stages: u only listen and absorb:dangerous stage with limited knowledge - possibility get burnt if you are not carefull. This is also depending on who is your local ring ( people you know and telling you) could be local n possibly overseas. Thanks to internet n this forum as well. 2. Absorb, study/ research and comparing to what you really want to achieve. At this stage early stage information and also your background knowledge play a part. (Your previous knowledge, etc like Jean mentioned in previous post) I myself, like to see the harmony in keris. Not only on the Keris itself with their pamor material or design, their slorok, garap, estimate of age, etc. But also their accessories: handle, rongko etc. All have to be in harmony. You can't put keris kodean into cendono rongko with suoso pendok. 3. Maybe after all two points above happens, we are coming at the stage either to stop collecting (caused burnt to much or wrong in making decisions or your partner want to leave you....) or just slowing down re-arrange what you want, review and either making one for your self or wait until a good one arrived within your budget. Regards Rasjid

28th April 2013, 03:28 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Thank you Guwaya and Rasjid. We seem to be getting into a more general discussion now, so I'm going to make a few remarks of my own. My questions were directed at collecting in general, not specifically at keris. I do not really identify myself as a collector of keris. I used to be, but these days I spend much more time, and money, on research and learning about the keris than I do on collecting, in fact I have begun to downsize my collection, whilst at the same time increasing my involvement in learning, not about the keris as such, but rather about all that is behind what we can see. I collect other things:- pocket knives, paper weights, ivories, watches, small carvings, keris hilts (as distinct from keris). About these things that I only collect, rather than study, I know almost nothing:- I can classify them, name them, describe them, value them, but I know just about nothing apart from that. I wallow in ignorance, and I feel no need to learn more about these other things, I simply appreciate the object. The exception is of course keris hilts, which overlaps my interest in keris. So possibly the collector is a person who just appreciates and understands what he can see, possibly he feels no need to delve into those matters associated with his collecting interest, which he cannot see.