Ebay keris for discussion

A. G. Maisey · 14th October 2013, 09:04 PM

I know that we're not supposed to discuss prices and commercial aspects of keris here, so I am going to try to keep my comments within the parameters already set by others.

If I step over the mark please delete my post.

If I look at the price achieved by this keris and then I add together the trade price in Indonesia of each individual component, and then add in a dealer's overheads and margin, this is not really a very high price. I do agree that it is higher than some people could sell for, but it is not way out there in ripoff territory.

Check the prices asked by Singapore and Jakarta dealers for old ivory hilts of similar quality and for silver pendok. Add in the cost of the blade and other dress items.

The seller is a dealer in Europe, it is unreasonable to expect him to sell at the level of an old lady at a garage sale or in a weekend market. I have some old catalogues that were published by Hales & Barrett (?) way back in the 1960's - 70's. You should see the prices asked for hilts in those catalogues if you need a reality check of prices in the current market --- I'm not talking low here, I'm talking exorbitantly high.

In Venice last year I saw several Madura ivory hilts of very modest quality and condition. These were very much over-priced, with the asking price running to thousands of euros.

All things considered I really don't think that this can be considered to be an exceptionally high price for this keris.

The blade is not old and the keris itself is a montage, the value is in the individual components.

14th October 2013, 09:04 PM	#11
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,990	I know that we're not supposed to discuss prices and commercial aspects of keris here, so I am going to try to keep my comments within the parameters already set by others. If I step over the mark please delete my post. If I look at the price achieved by this keris and then I add together the trade price in Indonesia of each individual component, and then add in a dealer's overheads and margin, this is not really a very high price. I do agree that it is higher than some people could sell for, but it is not way out there in ripoff territory. Check the prices asked by Singapore and Jakarta dealers for old ivory hilts of similar quality and for silver pendok. Add in the cost of the blade and other dress items. The seller is a dealer in Europe, it is unreasonable to expect him to sell at the level of an old lady at a garage sale or in a weekend market. I have some old catalogues that were published by Hales & Barrett (?) way back in the 1960's - 70's. You should see the prices asked for hilts in those catalogues if you need a reality check of prices in the current market --- I'm not talking low here, I'm talking exorbitantly high. In Venice last year I saw several Madura ivory hilts of very modest quality and condition. These were very much over-priced, with the asking price running to thousands of euros. All things considered I really don't think that this can be considered to be an exceptionally high price for this keris. The blade is not old and the keris itself is a montage, the value is in the individual components.