"Balinese Keris" book

[A. G. Maisey]

Here are my initial thoughts:-

Estimate value:- ie, what is a fair price for a keris?

Estimate age:- ie, when was the blade made, when were other components made ?

Construction:- ie, how was the blade made, how were other components made?

Reasons for motifs:- ie, cultural and societal significance of design & ornamental motifs used in the keris?

As a cultural icon:- probably links back to motifs, both can probably be considered together

Societal differentiation & background:- this involves anthropological & sociological study

Use as a weapon:- this covers a very broad field and involves a lot of opinion & very little fact, Don Draeger might be the place to start, but the enquiry should really be narrowed down to precisely what is being sought

Classification:- if classification for a collector based in the modern world outside S.E. Asia, Jean Greffioz' recent book is hard to go past. If classification in a different sense, tighter specification is needed.

Only texts in English

If my understanding of your needs is incorrect in any way, or needs to be expanded, please amend my rough outline above.

When we can nail down exactly what you need I can probably make some recommendations, and I believe other of our regular contributors could probably add to what I might recommend.