Exceptional new book on keris hilts and keris

Jean · 3rd April 2021, 09:07 AM

Hello Alan,
I do not understand Dutch as well but am able to translate few words or short sentences if required.
Emile attributes several names for this type of hilt showing a human face with a trunk but no tusks (especially Maya Denawa), which he distinguishes from Ganesha who has a clear elephant elephant head, which makes sense to me but I cannot tell whether he is correct or not. Hovewer I am sure that he carefully checked his words before publishing them. I will try to contact him and let you know if I get his reply.

A. G. Maisey · 15th April 2021, 06:51 AM

I have received my copy of this book.

The book itself is a quality production, the photographs are excellent, the hilts that have been photographed are a bit of a mixed bag, varying from gold hilts that exhibit archaic style to wooden hilts that give the appearance of having been carved by an owner, not a professional carver.

All in all, this is nice collection of hilts, the best are as good, or possibly better than anything I have. I do not think it is an exceptional collection, it is a good representative collection, and it would have been very expensive to put together.

I have browsed the text and have identified a number of things that I need to look very closely at. This is not something I can do quickly. I prefer to reserve comment on the text.

But the book itself is quality, and the hilts that are presented in this book are well worth the price of the book, simply because you are unlikely to see the better hilts included in the collection anywhere else.

3rd April 2021, 09:07 AM	#1
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	Hello Alan, I do not understand Dutch as well but am able to translate few words or short sentences if required. Emile attributes several names for this type of hilt showing a human face with a trunk but no tusks (especially Maya Denawa), which he distinguishes from Ganesha who has a clear elephant elephant head, which makes sense to me but I cannot tell whether he is correct or not. Hovewer I am sure that he carefully checked his words before publishing them. I will try to contact him and let you know if I get his reply.

15th April 2021, 06:51 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,056	I have received my copy of this book. The book itself is a quality production, the photographs are excellent, the hilts that have been photographed are a bit of a mixed bag, varying from gold hilts that exhibit archaic style to wooden hilts that give the appearance of having been carved by an owner, not a professional carver. All in all, this is nice collection of hilts, the best are as good, or possibly better than anything I have. I do not think it is an exceptional collection, it is a good representative collection, and it would have been very expensive to put together. I have browsed the text and have identified a number of things that I need to look very closely at. This is not something I can do quickly. I prefer to reserve comment on the text. But the book itself is quality, and the hilts that are presented in this book are well worth the price of the book, simply because you are unlikely to see the better hilts included in the collection anywhere else.