[A. G. Maisey]

Regarding Wolfgang Spielman's doctoral thesis.

This has been reviewed and mentioned in David van Duuren's bibliography.

My understanding of this review is that Dr. Spielman has provided a comprehensive, scientific and tightly organised over-view of the keris, which Dr. van Duuren rates as "---deserves to be included with the best general inroductions to the Javanese keris---"

Dr. van Duuren goes on to say:- "--- the author does not develop a personal viewpoint;rather, the value of his work lies in the way it ties facts into fiction and vice versa.---"

Wolfgang Spielman's work is a good general introduction which incorporates information to be found in other already published works.

There is nothing new in his work. As I was told by one very highly respected student of the keris who has German as his second language:- "you will not find anything in this work that has not already been treated elsewhere."

In other words, nothing new, but the content is very well presented.