The 500 000 pieces of the Daehnhardt collection

[fernando]

It looks like Mr. Rainer Daehnhardt is preparing a Foundation to encompass his collection. It seems as his family members do not share his tastes with similar intensity, so he is assuring that his collection doesn't dilute after he kicks the bucket.
I wanted to know how he would react to the fact that Antonio Cejunior, having written an article about a visit to his mannor house, quoted that he has about 500 000 pieces in his collection. I asked him if this could be a misprint or some misunderstanding, but he accepted the figure with naturality and told me to add up some crude ciphers he picked from his mind:
60000 books
350000 documents
15000 maps
3000 gun locks
50000 coins
20000 weapons
He didn't mention sword pommels, that i know he has a huge amount.
So naturaly the 500 000 pieces were not only arms, but items relative to arms and a whole lot of material connected with antiquity and the discoveries theme.
Questions about the authencity of these figures are something i do not have necessity to raise myself.
But i find it worthy of note that he once had part of this material spread into nine simultaneous exhibitions.
In a most recent event at the "Cordoaria" in Lisbon, he has shown 10 000 objects.
I guess there aren't many collections of such dimension out there.
Fernando

[ariel]

Astonishing effort and dedication! And a lot of wall space....
I just wonder when was the last time he looked at his collection?

[olikara]

I went through a link about this collector.

http://www.arscives.com/bladesign/history.htm

The 'The bullet that was a tooth' story is simply marvellous!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by ariel

Astonishing effort and dedication! And a lot of wall space....?

Yes, what a dilemma ... specialy if you have lots of windows or live in a three bedroomed flat. To agrevate, it's not very handy to hang cannons on the walls. Aparently he has a few on the floor of his mansion rooms and some other outside in the yard.

Originally Posted by ariel

I just wonder when was the last time he looked at his collection?

This is a an aproach somehow different than the usual. On the contrary,
what i have confrontated him with, was that once a member from this Forum found it hard for him to be able to contemplate so many items within the period of his living existence, and he candidly regconized that such inference was full of logic. As a matter of fact, it would be pathetic to expect that he would acquire piles and piles of ancient manuscripts with the intention of reading them all, rather than collecting them as an added value.
Indeed i find it amazing how characters can be different. My first reaction would never tend to be that of skepticism. Instead, my prior feeling goes for the sin of envy, whether the numbers are exagerated or not.
I wish he gave me some of those pieces.

[fernando]

a couple more

[olikara]

Fernando,
How does the Professor fund his purchases? I doubt if Academics pays so well anywhere? Perhaps he has tons of ancestral wealth?

Olikara

[katana]

WOW

I'm up for adoption (If Mr. Rainer Daehnhardt is interested).....and would certainly appreciate his collection.....OUTSTANDING

[fernando]

Hi Nidhin,

Originally Posted by olikara

Fernando,
How does the Professor fund his purchases? I doubt if Academics pays so well anywhere? Perhaps he has tons of ancestral wealth?

Olikara

He doesn't only collect. He also makes business within the antiques area. Investing in large quantities and selling them on a re-valued basis, after classifying them. One of his best customers is the Government, which buys
him collections for museums and the like.
He also has two shops, with all kinds of ancient coins, maps, books, guns and other antique curiosa.
He descends from an old German family of diplomats, probably he was born with some wealth and estate.
Fernando