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Collecting antique weapons has been a family tradition for
four generations. My great grand farther, Charles
Buttin, was a very well known collector and author at the turn of the
20th century. He had a huge collection of more than 1000 pieces with
weapons from all over the world. Unfortunately this fantastic collection
does not exist any more: The European part has
been spread between Charles 8 sons and the Oriental part has been auctioned
in 1942, in the midst of WWII. My grand father, Paul, who at that time,
lived in Morocco, tried to acquire some pieces from the auction. He sent
a telex with the auction item number he was interested in, but the telex
never made it to the auction house; the Gestapo intercepted it, thinking
it was a scripted message! However, Paul did manage to get some edged weapons from relatives. From generation to generation, a few swords and
daggers managed to come down to me. My
personal interest in antique edged weapons dates back
to the early seventies, when my father, Henri, started his own
collection.
Some might wonder what is the connection between a French national and Malay World Edged Weapons! In fact the first dagger I happen to acquire, when I was 15, was a Keris, at the Paris flea market. In 1984, I also had the chance to work one year in Indonesia. When I landed in Jakarta, I knew nothing about Asia, I was immediately attracted by the magic world I discovered. I felt in love with the country, the people and its culture. Studying antique weapons, is the best way to learn about the region's history and culture. Weapons, especially in the Malay World, are not just weapons, they are much more than that. They have a power in themselves and represent the true spirit of the people that made them and owned them. The Keris is known for its magical power, but the Malay islands are extremely diverse. This diversity is reflected in various shapes of swords, spears and daggers. I have started this website when I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. During the summer heat, when there is not much you can do outside. I was looking for a way to classify information I had collected, and I found that making a website, was probably the best way to do it. It is also a way of sharing my interest with other collectors around the world. Actually, thanks to the net, I have been able to make great friends all over the world, which share the same interest in antique edged weapons. Links to some of their websites are available at the links page. I am not an expert, I am a learner and I appreciate all comments that will help improve the quality of information available in this website. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at: |
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