Formosa Hill Tribe Swords ( for Yuanzhumin )

Rick · 7th January 2009, 05:49 PM

Is the blade laminated on a core ?
This is older work tourist or not and as such still has value .
I don't think their equal is being produced today .

Our man on the scene would know more about that aspect .

yuanzhumin · 18th January 2009, 03:48 AM

Hello everybody,
First, I want to thank Tim for mentioning in his posts the link to my collection website (www.formosatribal.com).
Shouldn't there be a picture on the post 28, from Ben ? Tim and Ben are discussing about a sword that I can’t see anywhere in the thread. Did I miss something ?
Lew, your picture is definitely one of Taiwanese aboriginals from the Atayal tribe, in the northern part of the island. Their knives are very similar to the one I display on my website (see the link mentioned by Tim). You’ll have to wait longer to see detailed pictures of Atayal straight blades as I’m away from home for 3 more weeks.
Kukulza 28, the first two knives you have shown in your posts are Taiwanese, yes, but they were commercially made in the 50s/60s to be sold to the American troops stationed in the island. The motives are inspired from the Paiwan but are mixed with an international fusion tribal style. The third knife you displayed is mine and was exhibited last year at the Shisanhang Prehistory Museum, in the Taipei District (www.sshm.tpc.gov.tw).
For the aficionados of Taiwanese tribal/aboriginal art, 4 Paiwan knives (lot 2 and 3) reached a high price at the Sothebys tribal art auction sales of last December. The knives were sold for an average price of more than 5000 euros each.
Yuanzhumin/Nicolas

KuKulzA28 · 18th January 2009, 04:30 AM

so YOU'RE the guy behind the Yang-Grevot collection?!
I've been pouring over those pictures for a long time...
those are some great examples of Aboriginal objects!

I'm Taiwanese American and until I did some research... I didn't even know about the Wushe Rebellion, or the 228 Massacre, or the history of Dutch and Chinese colonization, Koxinga, and the Aborigines throughout it all... it was so enlightening for me to realize that the Kuo Ming Tang flag was one of massacre, assimilation, and oppressive regime... not exactly the crusade against communism that I had been led to believe. I didn't know that I may very well be part aborigine like many Hoklos. I'm now very interested in my heritage, historically, culturally... and of course in the martial arts and weaponry area as well.

Tim Simmons · 18th January 2009, 01:17 PM

Yuanzhumin, there was slight confusion over this knife which we have discussed before.

Tim Simmons · 18th January 2009, 08:29 PM

Any pictures of those knives that went for such high prices.

varta · 28th January 2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Any pictures of those knives that went for such high prices.

I don't think that these knives were the best quality one could find. The context of the auction sale made high prices and these knives were absolutely overpaid. Once a year, ethnological auctions are set up in Paris with items from Africa and Oceania which come from prestigious and historical collections. In the same sale, there were many Azandé, Pendé, Kota, Teke, Lali knives that many members would enjoy! The sale was including pieces which could be considered of museum quality, but definitively not these knives!

Tim Simmons · 28th January 2009, 06:40 PM

Thank you, I take it these are the 5000 euros examples. They are nice, I would say they are museum quality but that does not means they are 5000 euros worth. To me museum quality is not about money value.

18th January 2009, 03:48 AM	#2
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	TAIWAN/FORMOSAN KNIVES Hello everybody, First, I want to thank Tim for mentioning in his posts the link to my collection website (www.formosatribal.com). Shouldn't there be a picture on the post 28, from Ben ? Tim and Ben are discussing about a sword that I can’t see anywhere in the thread. Did I miss something ? Lew, your picture is definitely one of Taiwanese aboriginals from the Atayal tribe, in the northern part of the island. Their knives are very similar to the one I display on my website (see the link mentioned by Tim). You’ll have to wait longer to see detailed pictures of Atayal straight blades as I’m away from home for 3 more weeks. Kukulza 28, the first two knives you have shown in your posts are Taiwanese, yes, but they were commercially made in the 50s/60s to be sold to the American troops stationed in the island. The motives are inspired from the Paiwan but are mixed with an international fusion tribal style. The third knife you displayed is mine and was exhibited last year at the Shisanhang Prehistory Museum, in the Taipei District (www.sshm.tpc.gov.tw). For the aficionados of Taiwanese tribal/aboriginal art, 4 Paiwan knives (lot 2 and 3) reached a high price at the Sothebys tribal art auction sales of last December. The knives were sold for an average price of more than 5000 euros each. Yuanzhumin/Nicolas

18th January 2009, 01:17 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,875	Yuanzhumin, there was slight confusion over this knife which we have discussed before. Attached Images

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7th January 2009, 05:49 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,347	Is the blade laminated on a core ? This is older work tourist or not and as such still has value . I don't think their equal is being produced today . Our man on the scene would know more about that aspect .

18th January 2009, 04:30 AM	#3
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	so YOU'RE the guy behind the Yang-Grevot collection?! I've been pouring over those pictures for a long time... those are some great examples of Aboriginal objects! I'm Taiwanese American and until I did some research... I didn't even know about the Wushe Rebellion, or the 228 Massacre, or the history of Dutch and Chinese colonization, Koxinga, and the Aborigines throughout it all... it was so enlightening for me to realize that the Kuo Ming Tang flag was one of massacre, assimilation, and oppressive regime... not exactly the crusade against communism that I had been led to believe. I didn't know that I may very well be part aborigine like many Hoklos. I'm now very interested in my heritage, historically, culturally... and of course in the martial arts and weaponry area as well.

18th January 2009, 08:29 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,875	Any pictures of those knives that went for such high prices.

28th January 2009, 06:40 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,875	Thank you, I take it these are the 5000 euros examples. They are nice, I would say they are museum quality but that does not means they are 5000 euros worth. To me museum quality is not about money value.