Why Post?

[KuKulzA28]

Thank you guys, well said, I'll keep it in mind, though being a novice, I am a "little child at the adult table"... I try to be as helpful as possible, but I end up asking questions more than I answer... I think sometimes people with my level of knowledge see how much more knowledgeable others are and are reluctant to speak... as the Chinese say fay hwa show jiang (don't say the obvious things so much).

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by KuKulzA28

Thank you guys, well said, I'll keep it in mind, though being a novice, I am a "little child at the adult table"... I try to be as helpful as possible, but I end up asking questions more than I answer... I think sometimes people with my level of knowledge see how much more knowledgeable others are and are reluctant to speak... as the Chinese say fay hwa show jiang (don't say the obvious things so much).

As I have said elsewhere in this thread, we are all learners, and always will be!
He who THINKS he is an expert, obviously knows everything, so should have no need for a Forum such as this!
If you have questions, keep asking as it is the way we all learn. Don't be reluctant to say even the obvious things. They might just be less obvious to others!
Regards Stu

[t_c]

Thanks for posting this Jim,
I really appreciate your encouragement. I have to admit I "lurked" here for a long time before I created an account; honestly because I wanted to buy something off the swap, but I've grown into it a little and tried to pitch in where I can, and ask questions when curious. I would encourage anyone else out there to do the same. I've made some comments here and there (hopefully without making too many eyes roll ) mainly regarding areas that I feel a little more comfortable in or at least think about more (been doing doing martial arts off and on for over a decade, so that's more my area of study). I have a good deal of reference books on arms (mostly Se Asian), but for me it's more about having the pictorial examples of traditional weaponry - I'm a visual and tactile sorta guy. I've always really appreciated the craft of metal working in regards to arms and armor, but an avid historian and researcher I am not. I use my books more for visual reference and don't recall a lot of the information even when I have made it through the book cover to cover. This forum is great for people like me with a little shorter attention span when it comes to history. I have always felt somewhat intimidated by the forum in general - there are a lot of forum members who do great research and have a lot of historical and general knowledge to share. I really respect your efforts in the scholarly realm and would hate to have you feel your efforts are unappreciated (especially by those who "lurk"), they are most certainly not, so thank you. In regards to friendly comments regarding someone's latest acquisition: I've always felt a little awkward just saying "nice find" etc. when I don't have any real insights on the item or questions to ask, but I really appreciate people sharing their acquisitions (and posts in general) with everyone - for me it's golden. I love seeing all the weapons of the world and the craftsmanship that goes into them and taking in the related discussion; so please, keep sharing and keep the dialog going, it's truly priceless (can you remember/imagine the world before the information age? )

Thanks to all and cheers,
Tom

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
I do think there is a definite difference in having an item I.D. and then deciding whether to keep it in your "private" collection, for whatever reason, and information seeking for commercial gain. I don't see any difference in a lawyer charging for his/her time and knowledge and anyone else parting with hard earned and time consuming expertise if the party in receipt of that information is just going to use it for commercial advantage. Perhaps a bit of transparency by those who "INTEND" to seek "ONGOING" financial gain would be to everyones advantage. If you are going to deal I'm sure many would still want to see and voice opinions about pieces but at least if it were known that there was a commercial aspect each member could decide whether to join in or not thereby avoiding any conflict. Just a thought.

Apart from the above digression it would seem clear that any and all information from Members is to be welcomed and 'don't be shy' with questions is to be positively encouraged. With this in mind I look forward to sharing many more hours of convivial banter with you all.
My Regards,
Norman.

[Jim McDougall]

It is truly great to see the ongoing dialogue here, and to see the range of perceptions and opinions related to this topic being openly discussed, this is exactly the kind of rapport that makes me feel proud to be a part of this ever growing and amazing group of members.

I think the consensus is generally that courtesy and respect should prevail above all, and common sense should be paramount in handling commercially related situations or selling and trading of weapons. It is important to note that while we are clearly all aware of the importance of establishing proper identification and integrity of weapons that are involved in either live auctions or sales, there is nothing that precludes members handling discussions of these items privately. It is only publicly via internationally published media, such as our forums clearly are, that matters can become problematic.

Tom, I would like to thank you for your very kind words, and am glad that you have joined in. It is clear that your knowledge is more 'hands on' and by the well written post, you express yourself well. This is exactly what my original purpose for beginning this thread, to bring in those like yourself who are out there and have much more to offer than they realize. The study of historical arms is not just taken from published material, but weapons seen and collected in the field; observed in collections and museums; found among heirlooms and estates of individuals who have collected them; from well travelled individuals far and wide.

We are after all internationally well represented here , and it is wonderful and amazing to see the harmony among such diverse cultures, religions, ethnicity and virtually all manner of groups. The input from everyone helps us not only learn about the history of arms, with such direct input, but promotes key understanding between all.

Kukulz, as Kahnjar has noted, beware 'experts', we are all students in varying degree, and are all here to learn together. Participation is key to effective learning, and in my case, I can only truly learn by gathering notes and information, then writing in text what I have found. In sharing that here, I always look forward to information others add, or in many cases corrections where I have erred.

In another thread for example, I made comments in a couple of places, and fortunately members well versed in the material at hand stepped forward to note that my statements were not entirely correct in those particular cases. This is exactly what I hope for..not to be wrong...but to be properly corrected as required, hopefully with substantiated support.

I full believe that here we are working together to study arms, discover and share evidence and resources, and above all to preserve this history as comprehensively as possible. It is our responsibility to accomplish this as thoroughly as we can, and it is not about being right or wrong...it is about being accurate. The more of us that work together in this, the better chance we have of being successful

Thanks very much everyone!
You're the best!

Jim

[celtan]

Hi Guys,

First let me acknowledge Jim as the main reason for my participation in this forum. His kindness, patience, courtesy, civility, knowledge and clear English prose have proven to be an attraction impossible to resist.

The cordiality that characterizes this forum is a close second motif, the willingness to share, the enthusiasm. In a way, it reminds me of the general feeling of well being associated to the Boy Clubs of my youth.

As an armchair historian and collector, I have no problems with anyone using the data that I provide, for commercial purposes. As a collector, sometimes I merely buy to eventually sell, and then buy other toys more of my preference. If I can help anyone with that, I'm satisfied.

The way I see it, often times people with interesting pieces for sale can be a source of learning, when their particular wares are discussed. If these are not presented to the forum, then we missed an opportunity to learn.

For me this is a hobby, a pleasure source. OTOH, I fully admit that if I see you in my professional capacity, I do expect reasonable fees to be paid!

Then, that's a job, not a hobby.

Best regards

Manuel Luis