What's your Avatar?

Andrew · 23rd January 2007, 01:28 PM

Just for fun, let's describe our Avatars.

Mine is a Thai temple guardian.

Mark had used this one originally, and I coveted it. When he changed, I grabbed it.

Berkley · 23rd January 2007, 01:47 PM

Large Nineteenth Century Nepalese kukri with two forged fullers (dui chirra). One of my all-time favorites

.

Rick · 23rd January 2007, 02:42 PM

Semar, the clown from the Wayang .
He acts the fool but is wise and powerful .

Dajak · 23rd January 2007, 03:30 PM

Mine the Hilt off an very rare pakayun

Emanuel · 23rd January 2007, 03:50 PM

I love the look of that khukri Berkley...Himalayan Imports have a replica model don't they?

My avatar is a nice Sudanese arm dagger, one of my new favourite blades.

katana · 23rd January 2007, 04:35 PM

Mine, is one of the Warriors from a 'Benin bronze'.....decorative and symbollic bronze plaques that were attached to the walls of the King's Palace. A facinating culture.....often overlooked.

This particular 'individual' stood out ......a character I could relate to

.....And no I do not have a dis-proportional sized head

Flavio · 23rd January 2007, 04:56 PM

Mine is a statuette from the tribe of congo. My ex-girlfriend told me that in his expression she sometimes saw my expression

HUSAR · 23rd January 2007, 05:47 PM

Mine is a shoulder-part of winged horseman armor

Freddy · 23rd January 2007, 06:33 PM

Mine is an old Wayang golek puppet with a moustache. I especially like it because it also wears a keris in its belt.

Mark · 23rd January 2007, 07:29 PM

A Burmese "bilu" (ogre), from a dha scabbard. The decoration on the sword itself shows the story of Princess Bedayi, or Bedi, in which an ogress named Sandamukhi figures, but there doesn't seem to be an ogre in the story, so I'm not sure why he's on the scabbard. There is an ogress at the same position on the opposite side of the scabbard, at any rate.

Tim Simmons · 23rd January 2007, 09:50 PM

Mine is an image taken off a shell cameo from the Austral Islands. This back to back figure adorns many artifacts from the Islands which are among the most isolated and only really visited by whalers in the 19th century. I can find many other examples but nothing about what they actually are. Some others to look at.

VVV · 23rd January 2007, 09:54 PM

Mine is a handle of a klewang from Palembang, Sumatra (see van Z pict 263).
I think it resembles a cock's comb which I found appropriate because some of my friends sometimes find me cocky.

Michael

ShayanMirza · 23rd January 2007, 11:52 PM

Mine is the sword of my great great great great great grandfather.

Bill M · 24th January 2007, 12:14 AM

Supposed to be a Tibetan monk shoulder or leg ball joint, carved.

Not perfectly sure it is Tibetan, but it is human. The doctor who replaced my knee and my chiropracter both agree on this.

Rick · 24th January 2007, 12:28 AM

I got to tell you Bill; that baby gives me the willies for some reason.

jmings · 24th January 2007, 12:36 AM

Mine is a cheap Indian Tulwar. <hangs head in embassassment>

Bill M · 24th January 2007, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

I got to tell you Bill; that baby gives me the willies for some reason.

Reminds me of a quote, "He is a shiver looking for a spine to run up."

The Tibetans used a lot of human bones. They wanted to uinderscore the tramsient nature of life. You often find masks with five skulls across the top, like points on a crown. This signnifies the deaths of the five senses.

The Tibetans used to make me nervous. Now I get more "willies" from the Aghora.

But perhaps we should not digress for fear of the thread bing hijacked into extraneous topics. I am interested in the other avatars. I am enjoying knowing more about the people here!

RSWORD · 24th January 2007, 01:19 AM

Mine is a grouping of shamshir intended to illustrate the difference in blade curvature between earlier examples(top two blades are probably 17th century) and later examples(middle blade is 18th century and bottom two are 19th century).

Jeff D · 24th January 2007, 02:05 AM

A primordial wootz rose.

Jeff

Andrew · 24th January 2007, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShayanMirza

Mine is the sword of my great great great great great grandfather.

Time to start a thread about that one!

Emanuel · 24th January 2007, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

Time to start a thread about that one!

I second that!! 7 generations, must have some good storytellin'.

Joe · 24th January 2007, 03:50 AM

Mine is the shichishito, the famous seven-pronged sword forged in Korea (or possibly China) in the 4th century, and sent as a gift to Japan.

ShayanMirza · 24th January 2007, 04:26 AM

Whoops! I went one "great" too many. Just great x 4 grandfather.

Alam Shah · 24th January 2007, 06:32 AM

Mine, a Bugis keris hilt, (in the 'kerdas' form). Made from ivory with carved floral and vegitative motifs. The brass ferrule (pendokok) is a 2-piece construction.

This hilt is also known as a Garuda hilt form. Garuda is the king of the birds and the mount of Vishnu. He is the enemy of the serpents and is associated with the all-consuming sun's rays, he symbolizes protection.

It has and 'endless knot' symbol and a ' garuda mungkur' on the back. On its chest, there is "Allah' carved in arabic.

[ More pictures here ]

Within this single hilt, there are a few symbols derived from animism, hinduism, buddhism and islamic influences. Hmmm...

wolviex · 24th January 2007, 08:42 AM

Mine is a fine example of Polish hussars sabre, in most classical form and shape, made at the end of 17th century by Lviv (Lvov) Ormians. I had a thread devoted to this sabre many months ago, but just to remind you this beautiful sabre, I put one picture below.

B.I · 24th January 2007, 09:19 AM

The top section of a dagger hilt, Nayaka period, South Indian (around 1600)

Marc · 24th January 2007, 04:33 PM

Mine's the hilt of a 17th c. Spanish cup-hilt rapier, formerly in the (late) Army Museum in Madrid. Filed and chiselled steel. A truly fine exemplar of its kind.

Jens Nordlunde · 24th January 2007, 04:53 PM

Mine is the hilt of a knife. But which kind of knife? A Khanjarli of course!

VANDOO · 24th January 2007, 05:30 PM

I DID WONDER ABOUT SOME OF THE AVATARS SO THE POST IS INTERESTING AND ELINGHTENING.

BUT ALAS! I HAVE NO AVATAR "AVATARS FOR THE POOR"!!

Rick · 24th January 2007, 05:32 PM

Barry, if you have a picture you want to use; email it to me and I'll resize it and post it for you .

Rick

23rd January 2007, 01:28 PM	#1
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	What's your Avatar? Just for fun, let's describe our Avatars. Mine is a Thai temple guardian. Mark had used this one originally, and I coveted it. When he changed, I grabbed it.

23rd January 2007, 09:50 PM	#11
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Mine is an image taken off a shell cameo from the Austral Islands. This back to back figure adorns many artifacts from the Islands which are among the most isolated and only really visited by whalers in the 19th century. I can find many other examples but nothing about what they actually are. Some others to look at. Attached Images

24th January 2007, 12:36 AM	#16
jmings Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tebbetts, Missouri, USA Posts: 49	Avatar Mine is a cheap Indian Tulwar. <hangs head in embassassment>

24th January 2007, 06:32 AM	#24
Alam Shah Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,248	Mine, a Bugis keris hilt, (in the 'kerdas' form). Made from ivory with carved floral and vegitative motifs. The brass ferrule (pendokok) is a 2-piece construction. This hilt is also known as a Garuda hilt form. Garuda is the king of the birds and the mount of Vishnu. He is the enemy of the serpents and is associated with the all-consuming sun's rays, he symbolizes protection. It has and 'endless knot' symbol and a ' garuda mungkur' on the back. On its chest, there is "Allah' carved in arabic. [ More pictures here ] Within this single hilt, there are a few symbols derived from animism, hinduism, buddhism and islamic influences. Hmmm... Last edited by Alam Shah; 24th January 2007 at 08:18 AM.

24th January 2007, 08:42 AM	#25
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	hussars sabre Mine is a fine example of Polish hussars sabre, in most classical form and shape, made at the end of 17th century by Lviv (Lvov) Ormians. I had a thread devoted to this sabre many months ago, but just to remind you this beautiful sabre, I put one picture below. Attached Images

23rd January 2007, 01:47 PM	#2
Berkley Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Austin, Texas USA Posts: 257	Large Nineteenth Century Nepalese kukri with two forged fullers (dui chirra). One of my all-time favorites .

23rd January 2007, 02:42 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	Semar, the clown from the Wayang . He acts the fool but is wise and powerful .

23rd January 2007, 03:30 PM	#4
Dajak Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 951	Mine the Hilt off an very rare pakayun

23rd January 2007, 03:50 PM	#5
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	I love the look of that khukri Berkley...Himalayan Imports have a replica model don't they? My avatar is a nice Sudanese arm dagger, one of my new favourite blades.

23rd January 2007, 04:35 PM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Mine, is one of the Warriors from a 'Benin bronze'.....decorative and symbollic bronze plaques that were attached to the walls of the King's Palace. A facinating culture.....often overlooked. This particular 'individual' stood out ......a character I could relate to .....And no I do not have a dis-proportional sized head

23rd January 2007, 04:56 PM	#7
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Mine is a statuette from the tribe of congo. My ex-girlfriend told me that in his expression she sometimes saw my expression

23rd January 2007, 05:47 PM	#8
HUSAR Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 80	Mine is a shoulder-part of winged horseman armor

23rd January 2007, 06:33 PM	#9
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Mine is an old Wayang golek puppet with a moustache. I especially like it because it also wears a keris in its belt.

23rd January 2007, 07:29 PM	#10
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	A Burmese "bilu" (ogre), from a dha scabbard. The decoration on the sword itself shows the story of Princess Bedayi, or Bedi, in which an ogress named Sandamukhi figures, but there doesn't seem to be an ogre in the story, so I'm not sure why he's on the scabbard. There is an ogress at the same position on the opposite side of the scabbard, at any rate.

23rd January 2007, 09:54 PM	#12
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Mine is a handle of a klewang from Palembang, Sumatra (see van Z pict 263). I think it resembles a cock's comb which I found appropriate because some of my friends sometimes find me cocky. Michael

23rd January 2007, 11:52 PM	#13
ShayanMirza Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Charlottesville Posts: 25	Mine is the sword of my great great great great great grandfather.

24th January 2007, 12:14 AM	#14
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Supposed to be a Tibetan monk shoulder or leg ball joint, carved. Not perfectly sure it is Tibetan, but it is human. The doctor who replaced my knee and my chiropracter both agree on this.

24th January 2007, 12:28 AM	#15
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	I got to tell you Bill; that baby gives me the willies for some reason.

24th January 2007, 01:19 AM	#18
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Mine is a grouping of shamshir intended to illustrate the difference in blade curvature between earlier examples(top two blades are probably 17th century) and later examples(middle blade is 18th century and bottom two are 19th century).

24th January 2007, 02:05 AM	#19
Jeff D Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 473	A primordial wootz rose. Jeff

24th January 2007, 03:50 AM	#22
Joe Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: McDonough, GA Posts: 48	Mine is the shichishito, the famous seven-pronged sword forged in Korea (or possibly China) in the 4th century, and sent as a gift to Japan.

24th January 2007, 04:26 AM	#23
ShayanMirza Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Charlottesville Posts: 25	Whoops! I went one "great" too many. Just great x 4 grandfather.

24th January 2007, 09:19 AM	#26
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	The top section of a dagger hilt, Nayaka period, South Indian (around 1600)

24th January 2007, 04:33 PM	#27
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	Mine's the hilt of a 17th c. Spanish cup-hilt rapier, formerly in the (late) Army Museum in Madrid. Filed and chiselled steel. A truly fine exemplar of its kind.

24th January 2007, 04:53 PM	#28
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Mine is the hilt of a knife. But which kind of knife? A Khanjarli of course! Attached Images

24th January 2007, 05:30 PM	#29
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I DID WONDER ABOUT SOME OF THE AVATARS SO THE POST IS INTERESTING AND ELINGHTENING. BUT ALAS! I HAVE NO AVATAR "AVATARS FOR THE POOR"!!

24th January 2007, 05:32 PM	#30
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	Barry, if you have a picture you want to use; email it to me and I'll resize it and post it for you . Rick