Question: the places with the biggest keris collections

wolviex · 16th March 2006, 03:36 PM

Dear Kerislovers!
Maybe it is not new question, but I was wondering about the biggest centers, outside the Malay Archipelago, where you can find keris (private) collections?
What are the museums where you can find the best kerises, and which are the best kerises holders, in your opinion?
I don't have specific knowledge on collectors market but it seems to me that there are very strong centers in USA and Holland, don't know if I'm right, and I hope you'll give me enough answers.
If there was no such thread before, maybe this one should be an occasion to create museums list from this point of view.

Thank you

VANDOO · 16th March 2006, 04:19 PM

I WOULD SAY THE NETHERLANDS WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY PLACE TO FIND LOTS OF HIGH QUALITY KERIS. THEY CONTROLLED THE AREA FOR A LONG TIME AND LIKED TO BRING BACK SOUVINEERS AND TROPHYS OF WAR LIKE THE BRITISH AND MOST OTHER NATIONS. THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP LOTS OF ROYAL KERIS ESPECIALLY IN BALI WHERE THE ENTIRE ROYAL FAMILY WAS WIPED OUT BY THEM. THE PORTUGESE WERE IN THE SPICE ISLANDS BEFORE THE DUTCH SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME OLD EXAMPLES TO BE FOUND THERE. OVER THE YEARS OTHER NATIONS HAVE PICKED UP SOME KERIS AS SOME COUNTRYS ECONOMYS GET STRONGER WHILE OTHERS GET WEAKER. I SUSPECT THAT THE BEST KERIS ARE STILL IN THE HANDS OF THE RICH OR MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRYS WHO TOOK THEM ORIGINALLY. THE LESSER QUALITY ONES OR THOSE BROUGHT HOME BY COMMON SAILORS OR SOLDIERS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN SOLD, AND COLLECTIONS AUCTIONED OFF OVER THE YEARS UPON THE DEATH OF THE COLLECTOR.

Dajak · 16th March 2006, 05:05 PM

There are Collectors in the Netherlands that have bigger collections than
Museums have and better quality .

We have been a very long time overthere .

And a lot off Indonesian people are living overhere .

Henk · 16th March 2006, 08:22 PM

Dajak is completely right. But a private collection is a private collection. When you're lucky and invited to visit a collector and take a look at his collection you can handle the most beautiful keris. Such a collection is mostly better preserved than the collections of the dutch musea. But the dutch musea also have good and large collections.

Tim Simmons · 16th March 2006, 09:12 PM

The Dutch, Royal Tropical Institute, is well worth a visit not so much for Kriss, but it has some of the most fantastic shaman staffs from the Philippines on display, well it did the last time I was there. Tim

wolviex · 17th March 2006, 12:49 PM

Thank you very much for your replies. The Netherlands are confirmed. What about USA, there seems to be a lot of private collectors these days?

Don't know if there is a need of museum list with keris collections. Maybe we should try to make one anyway. I will start with Poland then:

Muzeum Azji i Pacyfiku (Museum of Asia and Pacific) in Warsaw - around 450 weapons and many krises
Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum) in Krakow - ca. 100 krises

16th March 2006, 03:36 PM	#1
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Question: the places with the biggest keris collections Dear Kerislovers! Maybe it is not new question, but I was wondering about the biggest centers, outside the Malay Archipelago, where you can find keris (private) collections? What are the museums where you can find the best kerises, and which are the best kerises holders, in your opinion? I don't have specific knowledge on collectors market but it seems to me that there are very strong centers in USA and Holland, don't know if I'm right, and I hope you'll give me enough answers. If there was no such thread before, maybe this one should be an occasion to create museums list from this point of view. Thank you

16th March 2006, 04:19 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I WOULD SAY THE NETHERLANDS WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY PLACE TO FIND LOTS OF HIGH QUALITY KERIS. THEY CONTROLLED THE AREA FOR A LONG TIME AND LIKED TO BRING BACK SOUVINEERS AND TROPHYS OF WAR LIKE THE BRITISH AND MOST OTHER NATIONS. THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP LOTS OF ROYAL KERIS ESPECIALLY IN BALI WHERE THE ENTIRE ROYAL FAMILY WAS WIPED OUT BY THEM. THE PORTUGESE WERE IN THE SPICE ISLANDS BEFORE THE DUTCH SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME OLD EXAMPLES TO BE FOUND THERE. OVER THE YEARS OTHER NATIONS HAVE PICKED UP SOME KERIS AS SOME COUNTRYS ECONOMYS GET STRONGER WHILE OTHERS GET WEAKER. I SUSPECT THAT THE BEST KERIS ARE STILL IN THE HANDS OF THE RICH OR MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRYS WHO TOOK THEM ORIGINALLY. THE LESSER QUALITY ONES OR THOSE BROUGHT HOME BY COMMON SAILORS OR SOLDIERS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN SOLD, AND COLLECTIONS AUCTIONED OFF OVER THE YEARS UPON THE DEATH OF THE COLLECTOR.

16th March 2006, 05:05 PM	#3
Dajak Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 951	There are Collectors in the Netherlands that have bigger collections than Museums have and better quality . We have been a very long time overthere . And a lot off Indonesian people are living overhere .

16th March 2006, 08:22 PM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Dajak is completely right. But a private collection is a private collection. When you're lucky and invited to visit a collector and take a look at his collection you can handle the most beautiful keris. Such a collection is mostly better preserved than the collections of the dutch musea. But the dutch musea also have good and large collections.

16th March 2006, 09:12 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,736	The Dutch, Royal Tropical Institute, is well worth a visit not so much for Kriss, but it has some of the most fantastic shaman staffs from the Philippines on display, well it did the last time I was there. Tim

17th March 2006, 12:49 PM	#6
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Thank you very much for your replies. The Netherlands are confirmed. What about USA, there seems to be a lot of private collectors these days? Don't know if there is a need of museum list with keris collections. Maybe we should try to make one anyway. I will start with Poland then: Muzeum Azji i Pacyfiku (Museum of Asia and Pacific) in Warsaw - around 450 weapons and many krises Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum) in Krakow - ca. 100 krises