Visiting Australia

VANDOO · 31st July 2008, 04:32 AM

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO OZ SINCE THE LATE 1980'S AND IT HAD CHANGED A LOT SINCE MY FIRST VISIT IN 1978. IT HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED A LOT SINCE THEN THERE USED TO BE SHOPS DOWN BY THE ROCKS AREA AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THERE SELLING GOOD AUSTRALIAN ART PAINTINGS AND SUCH MOSTLY, BOOMERANGS AND CLUBS WERE ABOUT THE ONLY NEWLY MADE WEAPONS. YOU MAY FIND SOMETHING OF THAT SORT BUT IT WILL LIKELY BE MADE TO FLOG TO THE TOURISTS AND NOT FOR ACTUAL USE. I USED TO SEE A FEW GOOD OLD ITEMS AT FLEA MARKETS AND THE ODD SHOP OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AND AT SOME ART GALLERYS AND PAWN SHOPS. I USED TO FIND SOME NICE ARROWS AND ART FROM NEW GUINEA ALSO ESPECIALLY UP IN THE NORTH EAST AROUND CAIRNS.

OZ IS STILL A GREAT COUNTRY BUT THE POLITICKS ARE WAY OUT OF CONTROL SO KNOW THEIR LAWS SO YOU DON'T GET GOT BY THE CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER

YOU MIGHT PICK UP SOME OPAL WHILE YOU ARE THERE I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE DOUBLETS AND TRIPLETS AS THEY ARE MORE STURDY, CHEAPER AND CAN LOOK VERY NICE THEY WERE A GOOD DEAL FOR THE PRICE IN THE PAST AND IF UNMOUNTED THE CUSTOMS DUTY WAS NOT BAD. ABORIGINAL ART CAN BE QUITE ATTRACTIVE AND UNIQUE ALSO. ENJOY YOUR TRIP AND GOOD LUCK

A. G. Maisey · 31st July 2008, 05:30 AM

Yes Barry, it has changed.

Enormously so during the last 10 to 15 years.

During the 1950's and 1960's I worked in the Sydney CBD. During my lunch break I would cruise a number of shops that sold weaponry --- modern, antique, ethnographic---within ten minutes walk of where I worked. Once weekly there was an auction just around the corner from my office that about 50% of the time had weaponry that I would leave bids on.

Genuine aboriginal artifacts are very, very expensive, and are prohibited exports. Plenty of tourist stuff that looks OK, but it is likely to be made by a Bosnian refugee working for a Koori entrepreneur. The Aboriginal art, especially the stuff around the Rocks and tourist traps is done to order by whole families who work for whitefeller dealers. Nothing much that's fair dinkum---not that you can find without knowledge of the art form and the industry it supports.

My wife and I do the weekend markets, and the permanent markets very regularly. I have not bought any kind of ethnic weaponry from these places in years. You do occasionally see something, but normally it is junk grade, and the prices are off there in La-La Land.

There is still decent opal and gemstones around. Private dealers are a much better bet than the retail outlets.

CourseEight · 31st July 2008, 06:27 AM

Thanks a bunch! I hadn't heard of anything via searching, and I guess I know why now. Sadly I cannot move the trip to more clement weather, but it should still be quite a trip.

--Radleigh

31st July 2008, 04:32 AM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVEN'T BEEN TO OZ SINCE THE LATE 1980'S AND IT HAD CHANGED A LOT SINCE MY FIRST VISIT IN 1978. IT HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED A LOT SINCE THEN THERE USED TO BE SHOPS DOWN BY THE ROCKS AREA AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THERE SELLING GOOD AUSTRALIAN ART PAINTINGS AND SUCH MOSTLY, BOOMERANGS AND CLUBS WERE ABOUT THE ONLY NEWLY MADE WEAPONS. YOU MAY FIND SOMETHING OF THAT SORT BUT IT WILL LIKELY BE MADE TO FLOG TO THE TOURISTS AND NOT FOR ACTUAL USE. I USED TO SEE A FEW GOOD OLD ITEMS AT FLEA MARKETS AND THE ODD SHOP OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AND AT SOME ART GALLERYS AND PAWN SHOPS. I USED TO FIND SOME NICE ARROWS AND ART FROM NEW GUINEA ALSO ESPECIALLY UP IN THE NORTH EAST AROUND CAIRNS. OZ IS STILL A GREAT COUNTRY BUT THE POLITICKS ARE WAY OUT OF CONTROL SO KNOW THEIR LAWS SO YOU DON'T GET GOT BY THE CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER YOU MIGHT PICK UP SOME OPAL WHILE YOU ARE THERE I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE DOUBLETS AND TRIPLETS AS THEY ARE MORE STURDY, CHEAPER AND CAN LOOK VERY NICE THEY WERE A GOOD DEAL FOR THE PRICE IN THE PAST AND IF UNMOUNTED THE CUSTOMS DUTY WAS NOT BAD. ABORIGINAL ART CAN BE QUITE ATTRACTIVE AND UNIQUE ALSO. ENJOY YOUR TRIP AND GOOD LUCK

31st July 2008, 05:30 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Yes Barry, it has changed. Enormously so during the last 10 to 15 years. During the 1950's and 1960's I worked in the Sydney CBD. During my lunch break I would cruise a number of shops that sold weaponry --- modern, antique, ethnographic---within ten minutes walk of where I worked. Once weekly there was an auction just around the corner from my office that about 50% of the time had weaponry that I would leave bids on. Genuine aboriginal artifacts are very, very expensive, and are prohibited exports. Plenty of tourist stuff that looks OK, but it is likely to be made by a Bosnian refugee working for a Koori entrepreneur. The Aboriginal art, especially the stuff around the Rocks and tourist traps is done to order by whole families who work for whitefeller dealers. Nothing much that's fair dinkum---not that you can find without knowledge of the art form and the industry it supports. My wife and I do the weekend markets, and the permanent markets very regularly. I have not bought any kind of ethnic weaponry from these places in years. You do occasionally see something, but normally it is junk grade, and the prices are off there in La-La Land. There is still decent opal and gemstones around. Private dealers are a much better bet than the retail outlets.

31st July 2008, 06:27 AM	#3
CourseEight Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Coral Springs, FL Posts: 222	Thanks a bunch! I hadn't heard of anything via searching, and I guess I know why now. Sadly I cannot move the trip to more clement weather, but it should still be quite a trip. --Radleigh