Talk about your best buy in Ethnic weaponary!

Norman McCormick · 7th July 2008, 06:34 PM

Hi Guys,
If you mean cost versus value then I've been quite fortunate in some of my purchases over the past wee while. The Kukri was about 8 GBP (16 USD) bought with one other, the shield 10 GBP (20 USD) and the small Dha about 12 GBP (24 USD) all from E-Bay and all misdescribed. Using the same criteria ie., cost versus value my best ever purchase was my first sword in the early 60's, a beautifully maintained 17th Century Katana with an even earlier bronze Tsuba the rest being in the usual WW2 mounts, cost me the grand sum of one pound and ten shillings, about 3 USD, even in the early 60's that was a bargain. Needless to say it has long gone the money gained spent, probably, on cigarettes and whisky and wild wild women.
Regards,
Norman.

Atlantia · 7th July 2008, 07:03 PM

Wow, you guys do get lucky on ebay!!!

Lovely Dhal Norman
I prefer the distinctly Indian chiseled steel designs to the more persian influenced.

I guess my best buy (that I still have) is this good 19thC Pesh-Kabz.
The usual Jadeite scales etc, but a nice complete one with no damage/chips or loss to the blade tip. It is 35cm not including the swivel decoration. It was £23 (about $50) at a car boot sale.

Jim McDougall · 7th July 2008, 09:41 PM

My first weapon was a Moro kris, which was hanging in a guys garage....this was about 1961. He gave it to me for helping sand down a frame on an old Ford Model A he was putting together.....hot rod heaven!
Wish I still had it, but as always it probably was no big deal as far as what it really was...but for me, it was Excalibur! I've been addicted to studying weapons ever since, but in those days went into regulation swords first.
It got traded off probably 20 years later.

TVV · 7th July 2008, 09:56 PM

It is an interesting topic and the main question is, what constitutes a good buy? I am sure every single one of us has had a few good bargains from auction sites or garage sales, but I do not consider them my best buys, just my best deals. My best buys tend to be the ones from other fellow collectors. I have bought items from other members of this forum and they have always been really nice items, and on top of that the whole transaction experience has been very good.
Also, along the lines of what Jim wrote, some of the first items I ever acquired, almost all of which were wallhangers with no real collecting value, are still my most memorable purchases, because they were what got me into this hobby.
Regards,
Teodor

Atlantia · 7th July 2008, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVV

It is an interesting topic and the main question is, what constitutes a good buy? I am sure every single one of us has had a few good bargains from auction sites or garage sales, but I do not consider them my best buys, just my best deals. My best buys tend to be the ones from other fellow collectors. I have bought items from other members of this forum and they have always been really nice items, and on top of that the whole transaction experience has been very good.
Also, along the lines of what Jim wrote, some of the first items I ever acquired, almost all of which were wallhangers with no real collecting value, are still my most memorable purchases, because they were what got me into this hobby.
Regards,
Teodor

I quite agree Teodor,

Please share a particularly memorable acquisition which has given you a lot of pleasure and post some pics of course ;-)

Regards
Gene

asomotif · 8th July 2008, 12:34 AM

Hear hear

Quote:

My best buys tend to be the ones from other fellow collectors

Best bargains might indeed be a bit confronting for other forum members.

My best buys, all between 10 and 7 years ago.
- Left : small dancing shield in a shop in Kuching for 150 MR (ringgit)
- Left : dark shield with unique relief cutting. late 19th /early 20th cent.
bought from a friend collector/trader at Nlg 800 (= Eur 360)
- Right : red shield with nice rattan works and nice handle.
(Check Oriental arms for a identical shield) from same friend at Nlg 600
- Right shield : old hair shield with various restaurations and getting pretty bald. Maybe not among the best buys, but also Dayak so also on this picture

TVV · 8th July 2008, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlantia

I quite agree Teodor,

Please share a particularly memorable acquisition which has given you a lot of pleasure and post some pics of course ;-)

Regards
Gene

Gene,

It is hard for me to single out a particular acquisition and generally, I tend to develop a strong emotional attachment to almost all of my pieces. So I cannot single out a specific item, but here is a random pile of some of my favorites. Please excuse the poor photo - I am probably the worst photographer out there you can find.
Regards,
Teodor

kronckew · 8th July 2008, 10:19 AM

my favourite is my

'egyptian curved blade sword' from e-pray.

her 'expert' husband told her what it was

my 'odd shaped' machete is another. i was the only bidder on this (and the top one)

my £5 whale shaped knife

another rusty old jungle machete

assassin's dagger no one else wanted

found a few sleepers

7th July 2008, 06:34 PM	#1
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,644	Hi Guys, If you mean cost versus value then I've been quite fortunate in some of my purchases over the past wee while. The Kukri was about 8 GBP (16 USD) bought with one other, the shield 10 GBP (20 USD) and the small Dha about 12 GBP (24 USD) all from E-Bay and all misdescribed. Using the same criteria ie., cost versus value my best ever purchase was my first sword in the early 60's, a beautifully maintained 17th Century Katana with an even earlier bronze Tsuba the rest being in the usual WW2 mounts, cost me the grand sum of one pound and ten shillings, about 3 USD, even in the early 60's that was a bargain. Needless to say it has long gone the money gained spent, probably, on cigarettes and whisky and wild wild women. Regards, Norman. Attached Images

7th July 2008, 07:03 PM	#2
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Wow, you guys do get lucky on ebay!!! Lovely Dhal Norman I prefer the distinctly Indian chiseled steel designs to the more persian influenced. I guess my best buy (that I still have) is this good 19thC Pesh-Kabz. The usual Jadeite scales etc, but a nice complete one with no damage/chips or loss to the blade tip. It is 35cm not including the swivel decoration. It was £23 (about $50) at a car boot sale.

7th July 2008, 09:41 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,585	My first weapon was a Moro kris, which was hanging in a guys garage....this was about 1961. He gave it to me for helping sand down a frame on an old Ford Model A he was putting together.....hot rod heaven! Wish I still had it, but as always it probably was no big deal as far as what it really was...but for me, it was Excalibur! I've been addicted to studying weapons ever since, but in those days went into regulation swords first. It got traded off probably 20 years later.

7th July 2008, 09:56 PM	#4
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,716	It is an interesting topic and the main question is, what constitutes a good buy? I am sure every single one of us has had a few good bargains from auction sites or garage sales, but I do not consider them my best buys, just my best deals. My best buys tend to be the ones from other fellow collectors. I have bought items from other members of this forum and they have always been really nice items, and on top of that the whole transaction experience has been very good. Also, along the lines of what Jim wrote, some of the first items I ever acquired, almost all of which were wallhangers with no real collecting value, are still my most memorable purchases, because they were what got me into this hobby. Regards, Teodor

8th July 2008, 10:19 AM	#8
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,249	my favourite is my 'egyptian curved blade sword' from e-pray. her 'expert' husband told her what it was my 'odd shaped' machete is another. i was the only bidder on this (and the top one) my £5 whale shaped knife another rusty old jungle machete assassin's dagger no one else wanted found a few sleepers