Preservation of Craftsmanship at National Level

Antonio Cejunior · 9th April 2005, 02:03 AM

Greetings all,

The reading of the Timonium paper on Mark Bowditch's page has prompted me to think not about collections only but what steps can be taken in order to further
preserve the tradition of sword making in Aranyik, Thailand, in the Philippines, as well as in Indonesia and India.

Allow me to explain futher. In my very modest narrative on

I have noticed that everyone is trying to survive by making different and more commercial stuff such as bowies, katanas, etc.
It is an entirely private venture with possibly no connections between Museums and smiths, hence that most things are just very simple swords aiming for no particular public (my humble opinion).

The thing is that I believe there might be a small hope that Governments or even Private Foundations may provide a grant that allow these smiths to survive doing what they know best. This may of course require some evolution and change of design appearence the same way Jim Thompson revolutionized the silk industry in Thailand.

Let's say that while in Japan you have an organization that cares and strtuctures the making of Japanese swords, classifies them and keeps them, there is nothing out of Japan like this, except Solingen perhaps, which to some extent represents the condemnation to extinction into a matter of time for it becomes an obsolete craft that is overlooked, until Museums give them enough significance and quality produced pieces become available to the general public in hotel shops and slowly spreading into specialty craft shops taken as decorative items.

Let me be pragmatic enough. I view that the continuity of the craft requires a commercial strategy based on quality as an alternative to the present quantity. In other words, while the antiques market continues to exist, I find it to be necessary to create the antiques of the future, which will undoubtly arise from a different context.

I recall that in 1995 I came out in the open to speak about the need for a Creative Center in Macau, a strategic move using the multi-cultural context of Macau to become the creative software for the mainland China resources, as we were able to better discern, due to a different cultural context and cultural heritage from mainland China, which would allow for the redesigning of, i.e. Chinese furniture, beauty acessories, silk designs and so forth.

It was indeed created in the year 2000, as Center of Creative Industries, but it was entirely misunderstood. It caters for a list of designers and artists not the relationship of an ideas factory, if I may say so, to revolutionize what is not being spread.

This was not what I had in mind.

Incurring into the risk of boring you all, I would like to express my concern on the future and of the future of the past, which cannot rely by itself on the most commendable work of collectors or even of Museums, but on what the Medici did during the Rennaissance: Il Mecennato. Patronage, sponsorship.

How this could be achieved through the governments of each of the countries mentioned is, I hope not a fight against windmills.

Your precious comments?

9th April 2005, 02:03 AM	#1
Antonio Cejunior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 294	Preservation of Craftsmanship at National Level Greetings all, The reading of the Timonium paper on Mark Bowditch's page has prompted me to think not about collections only but what steps can be taken in order to further preserve the tradition of sword making in Aranyik, Thailand, in the Philippines, as well as in Indonesia and India. Allow me to explain futher. In my very modest narrative on I have noticed that everyone is trying to survive by making different and more commercial stuff such as bowies, katanas, etc. It is an entirely private venture with possibly no connections between Museums and smiths, hence that most things are just very simple swords aiming for no particular public (my humble opinion). The thing is that I believe there might be a small hope that Governments or even Private Foundations may provide a grant that allow these smiths to survive doing what they know best. This may of course require some evolution and change of design appearence the same way Jim Thompson revolutionized the silk industry in Thailand. Let's say that while in Japan you have an organization that cares and strtuctures the making of Japanese swords, classifies them and keeps them, there is nothing out of Japan like this, except Solingen perhaps, which to some extent represents the condemnation to extinction into a matter of time for it becomes an obsolete craft that is overlooked, until Museums give them enough significance and quality produced pieces become available to the general public in hotel shops and slowly spreading into specialty craft shops taken as decorative items. Let me be pragmatic enough. I view that the continuity of the craft requires a commercial strategy based on quality as an alternative to the present quantity. In other words, while the antiques market continues to exist, I find it to be necessary to create the antiques of the future, which will undoubtly arise from a different context. I recall that in 1995 I came out in the open to speak about the need for a Creative Center in Macau, a strategic move using the multi-cultural context of Macau to become the creative software for the mainland China resources, as we were able to better discern, due to a different cultural context and cultural heritage from mainland China, which would allow for the redesigning of, i.e. Chinese furniture, beauty acessories, silk designs and so forth. It was indeed created in the year 2000, as Center of Creative Industries, but it was entirely misunderstood. It caters for a list of designers and artists not the relationship of an ideas factory, if I may say so, to revolutionize what is not being spread. This was not what I had in mind. Incurring into the risk of boring you all, I would like to express my concern on the future and of the future of the past, which cannot rely by itself on the most commendable work of collectors or even of Museums, but on what the Medici did during the Rennaissance: Il Mecennato. Patronage, sponsorship. How this could be achieved through the governments of each of the countries mentioned is, I hope not a fight against windmills. Your precious comments?