The Ultimate Bibliography of Malay Edged Weapons
 

Tim Rogers is an Englishman who retired a few years ago from his position as Deputy Keeper of Western Manuscripts, at the Bodleian Library in Oxford , UK.

Tim has had a long standing interest in the edged weaponry of South East Asia , and back in 1995 he produced a catalogue of North Sumatran Weapon names . However, this was just a little side trip for Tim. For many years he has been compiling what I believe to be the most comprehensive bibliography ever to be attempted, of books dealing with the edged weaponry of the Malay World. In his own words:-

" The present work lists all the books and articles relating to Filipino, Indonesian, and Malay edged weapons that the compiler has been able to find, with special emphasis on illustrations."

The entries in Tim's bibliography often contain lengthy quotes from the books listed, and he has gone further in his listings than just "books and articles" . This bibliography lists catalogues of items for sale, calendars, in fact just about everything that has some mention or photograph of this class of weaponry --- to say that this bibliography is comprehensive is still an understatement.

This work is almost complete and is expected to be published some time next year. I have read the penultimate draft, and in my opinion it is a "must have" for any serious student of the edged weaponry of the Malay World.

I will advise further details as they become available.

Congratulations Tim
 

Great to bring this upcoming work forth Alan.

I too have had the pleasure of viewing the draft in full and it is the most comprehensive bibliography ever undertaken of any kind that I am aware of ...monumental would describe the detail within, no stone unturned.

I too highly recommend this book when published.

Gav

I am excited. Hope it is somewhat affordable. :o

I am also fully agree with Gav here, and glad that I am in the privileged position to have contact with Tim on a regularly base lately.

And besides that, I want to take the opportunity here to mention that Tim had put a lot of work in the great bibliography and to me he belongs amongst one of the friendliest collectors I have contact with...

Maurice

Maurice, Tim has put a phenomenal amount of work into this bibliography.

I've known Tim for something like 25 or 30 years --- longer than I can put an actual date on. Over that time he has occasionally mentioned his "list" in passing, and I think the first version I have of something considerable dates back to 1995.

This bibliography is a project that has stretched over a good part of Tim's life.

Great! Thanks Alan for the early info.. :)
I'm very much interested and will be looking forward..
Does it include extensive coverage of the Peninsular Malay edged weapons?

I cannot quantify the coverage of each individual area covered by the entire content of this bibliography. I've so far spent about 8 hours on it, and I'm about a one fifth of the way through it, but then I am reading every word and checking Indonesian and Javanese spellings, I'm not just skimming it. Prior to commencing the reading of it I spent two days checking what I have against what Tim has listed. There are sources listed from a number of languages, and quite a lot of old books are listed, together with extensive quotes. My guess is that anything that has been published in English or a Western European language that deals with Peninsular Weaponry will be in it, and a lot of publications that are in Malay or Indonesian will be in it. I thought that my own knowledge of Indonesian and Javanese publications was pretty good, but Tim has managed to include publications of which I was not aware.

Alam Shah, I am certain that no bibliography dealing with this subject matter comes even close to what Tim Rogers has managed to put together.

Alan, thanks for the added info.. looking forward eagerly for this publication.. :)

Hello!
Some news about this work?
thanks in advance
carlos

Not yet Carlos.

I'll try to find out what the position is.

This sounds extremely exciting!
I am with Battara in hoping that it is affordable.

Thanks in advance, I´m very nervous with this work!! :eek:
thanks again
carlos

If I may, without going in to too much detail, it is still some time away, not likely this year.

Gav

Colour me interested! I also hope it is affordable. It sounds like a great resource.

I've been in touch with Tim and he advises that the publisher has been diverted by another project. He hopes to see some progress after 22 September this year.

Encourage the publisher?
 

Maybe we can organize a group purchase of this book. When faced with such obvious interest from the core of community expected to buy it, perhaps the publisher will increase his attention to getting the book out for sale.

Sounds absolutely fascinating! I have no doubt I will be purchasing one when it's complete.

I am game.