Between Solo and Yogya

A. G. Maisey · 20th September 2007, 11:48 PM

Pak Usmen, I tend to disagree with you that collectors outside of Indonesia are the ones who have driven keris prices up.

I have a very close friend in Solo who is possibly one of, if not the biggest wholesaler of quality wesi aji. The prices that he gets at a level where he is selling to other salesmen, are far in advance of anything that I could imagine collectors in the western world being willing to pay.

Truly top quality old keris achieve the best prices in Indonesia, not in New York, Paris, and London.

The generally held belief amongst the people I know is that the primary force in driving up prices on old top quality wesi aji was the rampant corruption in Indonesia that accelerated from the mid-1970's. I do not want to discuss this in public.

Incidentally, as Rick has pointed out, I hold no authority in this discussion group. For permission to commence a thread on a subject other than keris, the correct people to approach are Rick and David.

20th September 2007, 11:48 PM	#11
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Pak Usmen, I tend to disagree with you that collectors outside of Indonesia are the ones who have driven keris prices up. I have a very close friend in Solo who is possibly one of, if not the biggest wholesaler of quality wesi aji. The prices that he gets at a level where he is selling to other salesmen, are far in advance of anything that I could imagine collectors in the western world being willing to pay. Truly top quality old keris achieve the best prices in Indonesia, not in New York, Paris, and London. The generally held belief amongst the people I know is that the primary force in driving up prices on old top quality wesi aji was the rampant corruption in Indonesia that accelerated from the mid-1970's. I do not want to discuss this in public. Incidentally, as Rick has pointed out, I hold no authority in this discussion group. For permission to commence a thread on a subject other than keris, the correct people to approach are Rick and David.