VOC BLADES: A comprehensive look

Jim McDougall · 26th February 2014, 11:07 PM

Well noted Alan!!! and it is of course quite relative. If I tell one of these 'young' people I still remember 19 cent gasoline they look at me like I'm from another planet

In perspective it is indeed probably quite affordable to collect these days, but there is a distinct stratus according to what field is being collected. I was lucky in that I was far more historian than discerning collector, so the examples I got were often pretty beat up, but obviously not fooled with.
These were the rough old warriors which had their stories to tell ,
kinda like us

A. G. Maisey · 26th February 2014, 11:28 PM

Yeah, I guess so Jim.

Back in the 1950's and 1960's here in Oz, a good keris, a good Indo-Persian piece, a good Jap sword were all worth around about the same money, which in the mid-'50's was about 100 pounds.

Ordinary workers did not collect unless they were willing to sacrifice a lot. A real lot.

That is not the case today.

asomotif · 27th February 2014, 12:17 PM

I owned a javanese pedang with a VOC blade a few(4?)years ago.
I found the pictures again, unfortunately not very good pictures.
But they give once more an impression of the blade form.

At that time I also sent these pictures to the dutch Army museum, and the curator confirmed that this was very likely an original VOC blade used for a javanese pedang.
To be sure he had to see the blade in hands, but I did not make the trip to the museum.
To stick with Alan's story. The pedang cost me about 1,5 days pay.
(I am pretty normal working class btw)
And when I sold it shortly after I did not make a noticable profit :-)

best regards,
Willem

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 27th February 2014, 01:32 PM

Salaams All~ I think the size and scope of the VOC operation was colosal ... This was a huge trading block not only in terms of transporting goods internationally by sea but as Ship Builders and Fortress Constructors it was mindblowing !! They arrived in Batavia (Jakarta) and built this...

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 27th February 2014, 01:34 PM

Their operation was huge ... backed by an in built militia and private navy...

Maurice · 27th February 2014, 04:39 PM

Thank you Willem for posting your Javanese pedang.
Most of the Indonesian swords with the VOC mark in the blade seems to be from Java.
As the Dutch were very dominant in their present overhere (we all have heard about Batavia, even some of you don't know what it exactly was) it can't be a coincedence to encounter most of the VOC blades overhere.

@ Jim and Alan: Yes the bad old days...when people could count on their pension still....

Maurice

erikscollectables · 27th February 2014, 04:55 PM

Last week I spoke with an older collector who mentioned most keris were around 200 guilders in the Netherlands in the late 70s to early 80s - that is more than you will have to pay today for a "simple" keris. So looking back they were more expensive in that period as well. Maybe internet has brought relative prices down?

Anyway we should stay on topic - VOC blades

27th February 2014, 12:17 PM	#3
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,235	I owned a javanese pedang with a VOC blade a few(4?)years ago. I found the pictures again, unfortunately not very good pictures. But they give once more an impression of the blade form. At that time I also sent these pictures to the dutch Army museum, and the curator confirmed that this was very likely an original VOC blade used for a javanese pedang. To be sure he had to see the blade in hands, but I did not make the trip to the museum. To stick with Alan's story. The pedang cost me about 1,5 days pay. (I am pretty normal working class btw) And when I sold it shortly after I did not make a noticable profit :-) best regards, Willem Attached Images

27th February 2014, 01:32 PM	#4
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams All~ I think the size and scope of the VOC operation was colosal ... This was a huge trading block not only in terms of transporting goods internationally by sea but as Ship Builders and Fortress Constructors it was mindblowing !! They arrived in Batavia (Jakarta) and built this... Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 28th February 2014 at 06:17 AM.

27th February 2014, 01:34 PM	#5
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Their operation was huge ... backed by an in built militia and private navy... Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 28th February 2014 at 06:17 AM.

26th February 2014, 11:07 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,306	Well noted Alan!!! and it is of course quite relative. If I tell one of these 'young' people I still remember 19 cent gasoline they look at me like I'm from another planet In perspective it is indeed probably quite affordable to collect these days, but there is a distinct stratus according to what field is being collected. I was lucky in that I was far more historian than discerning collector, so the examples I got were often pretty beat up, but obviously not fooled with. These were the rough old warriors which had their stories to tell , kinda like us

26th February 2014, 11:28 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Yeah, I guess so Jim. Back in the 1950's and 1960's here in Oz, a good keris, a good Indo-Persian piece, a good Jap sword were all worth around about the same money, which in the mid-'50's was about 100 pounds. Ordinary workers did not collect unless they were willing to sacrifice a lot. A real lot. That is not the case today.

27th February 2014, 04:39 PM	#6
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,454	Thank you Willem for posting your Javanese pedang. Most of the Indonesian swords with the VOC mark in the blade seems to be from Java. As the Dutch were very dominant in their present overhere (we all have heard about Batavia, even some of you don't know what it exactly was) it can't be a coincedence to encounter most of the VOC blades overhere. @ Jim and Alan: Yes the bad old days...when people could count on their pension still.... Maurice

27th February 2014, 04:55 PM	#7
erikscollectables Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 318	Last week I spoke with an older collector who mentioned most keris were around 200 guilders in the Netherlands in the late 70s to early 80s - that is more than you will have to pay today for a "simple" keris. So looking back they were more expensive in that period as well. Maybe internet has brought relative prices down? Anyway we should stay on topic - VOC blades