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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
Jean, any keris that a person regards as his keris should only be shown to another person subject to certain restrictions. These restrictions very definitely apply to me, but to you and other collectors who are outside the culture of the keris the restrictions do not apply. When I was accepted for training by Empu Suparman I lost a lot of the freedoms that I might otherwise have had. I have certain committments to fulfil, certain obligations and a very strict code of ethics. These things do not apply to you.
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This is undoubtedly true Alan, but still for many years i followed this particular code as well because it made sense to me. What i see on a lot of online keris forums are not people seeking particular knowledge as much as showing off their blades to the general public much in the same way that a wealth man might show off a trophy wife. So i can understand why that is distasteful and i have always strived not to be seen that way. However, as stated before, i find that sometimes, in order to hopefully learn a little bit more about what it is that i have accepted custodianship of, i feel the need to share images of the wilah in public so that more knowledgable folks than i might share what they see and know about it. Again, i really have no knowledgable people (or for that matter, even interested people) who live anywhere near me, so private or semi-private discussions in person are not really an option for gathering such information. So yes, i suppose i should feel lucky that i am not laboured by the same obligations as you. That said, however, i think most of us collectors living outside your inner circles would gladly give up such freedoms for the knowledge gained through your training and associations. If i knew half the things you know as well as you know them i probably would not feel so inclined to have to ask others what it is that i have when a puzzling keris comes into my collection.
