Checking In

Mark · 17th November 2005, 09:06 PM

To answer as many of these questions as I can from my own experience and understanding (and I guess preference as far as the forum itself goes).

Threads: As many as you need. I know Antonio suggested otherwise, but I AM IN CONTROL!!!!! (mua ha ha ha ha ....).

Seriously, my thinking is that a few, focused threads on specific topics is better than mushy threads that sort of cover everything. In this way, everyone can go right to the topic in order to ask or get answered any question they have without have to search through a long string of posts in one huge thread. I will start a few that I think might be useful, and we can decide if it works or not.

Photos: You don't have to photograph your entire collection. The first thing I did was look through my collection and physically pull out and put aside the pieces that I thought were nice and would be good for the section. Then to the extent I didn't have some picture of it already, I took a quick photo. It doesn't have to be a Picasso or Pulitzer Prize caliber picture, but something clear enough to let the other's see what it is & how it looks. The high quality pictures for the catalogue will be taken by the Museum once the final pieces arrive in Macao.

Time away from home: I am allowing six months in my own mind, between the time before the show for processing, the three months exhibition itself, and some time to pack up and ship back after the show. Antonio I am sure will give a better answer than that, though.

Decision making: That is most of what will be done here on the Forum. I have no idea personally about what to put in and what not to, but I can help with suggestions just based on what I know of the exhibition hall layout (which I have seen in person), and what I have learned while doing my own section. I have already given a few just about sort of the mental approach you should all take. I do highly recommend that one or two people make the first broad cut once everything is on the table. What I did at first was to take everything we had and group stuff by similarity, literally moving photos around in a PowerPoint file. Then we looked them over and decided which best showed a particular style or feature or historic period. It also helped us notice gaps. So maybe one person at first can sit and take all the barongs offered and put them together, all the kris, etc. I did this by printing out the pictures from our working page and laying them out on the floor in stacks, then going back and re-grouping the pictures on the computer. We had fewer pieces than you do, but I suggest organizing them in groups as a list with their ID numbers, and forwarding that to Antonio and I, who will then physically group them on the web (assuming that is what you all want).

Posting some pictures here as suggestions by whoever does this first step is a good idea, as well as posting representatives of the proposed groups. Whatever you think will work, and we can adjust as we go along.

Irreplacable pieces Rick said it all. Everything in this exhibition will be irreplaceable, either literally or sentimentally. We do need to have a certain level of trust in the process. There are things that are priceless to the point where placing an insurance value on them, no matter how high, is meaningless. I have said many times that based on direct personal interviews and inspections of the Museum operations & facilities, that Antonio, the Museum, and the Museum staff have my 100% confidence in every respect. Of course, that opinion is worth as much as my credibility is with you, but I hope I have at least a little.

If you don't know, I am a 42 year-old lawyer who has not only lived abroad, but have had my share of getting screwed, this in addition to spending 12+ years litigating against other wily lawyers, which sharpens your BS detecter, your paranoia, and your ability not to be taken for a ride. So, I know what to look for and what to look out for.

I hope this helps. I am sure others have more to add. I'll go start some basic threads, now.

Antonio Cejunior · 17th November 2005, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Bowditch

I know Antonio suggested otherwise, but I AM IN CONTROL!!!!! (mua ha ha ha ha ....).

Aye Gov'nah

Seriously now, I saw the nice set of threads you put up.
Applause

Thanks Mark

Antonio

Antonio Cejunior · 24th November 2005, 09:39 AM

Hi everyone,

We have reached a very encouraging number of entries.
Please check here and we're still waiting for Vandoo's entries.
I think that once everyone send me their entries as descriptions,
we will be able to start the selection process and discuss it.

Let's wait until the end of the month? November 30?

This is great work.
Very best to all,
Antonio

Antonio Cejunior · 26th November 2005, 11:52 PM

Hi Gentlemen,

Just thought I would chime in.
Until now, the entries list has reached a record of 76, soon to be 78 as I mistakenly thought two items were repetitions.

This is really amazing. Please take a good look at the link's contents.

I now there are more to come.

Bless you all.

Battara · 27th November 2005, 01:03 AM

Boy do I feel stupid - I just now re-read this thread and saw your suggestion for me to coordinate and select the collectors part.

Catching on slowly but surely.

Antonio Cejunior · 27th November 2005, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Boy do I feel stupid - I just now re-read this thread and saw your suggestion for me to coordinate and select the collectors part.

Catching on slowly but surely.

No problem

My record was being introduced to one of our best friends for fifteen times. At that time she could not endure more and said:
Antonio, enough is enough! Best take a good look at me. We know you live in another world, but come down for a moment. Yiiiikes!

It turned out she is one of my wife's best friends.

So no problem since an email has been sent to you

Best regards,

Antonio Cejunior · 29th November 2005, 11:20 PM

Good morning everyone,

In view of the need to ensure that pictures on the list are very clear I took the liberty of making a Swords Photography Tutorial in case any of our generous contributors have any difficulty with getting things right.
I will now only upload photographs that carry enough quality and clearness as the pictures will be all the Museum will have for showing the Insurance Company therefore it is on your own interest.

Please don't take me wrong or misunderstand me. The group has been nothing but FANTASTIC and GENEROUS but I really want to be sure things are very clear and beyond doubt. I hope the tutorial is usable by some of you gentlemen and in no way intends to be more than a way to assist any contributor which has had difficulties taking pictures with a white background.

Best regards to you all

Antonio

Antonio Cejunior · 8th December 2005, 12:51 PM

Greetings everyone,

I have updated the entries list in terms of weapons information.
Please check here http://www.arscives.com/historysteel...ntributors.htm and click refresh.

So far I have included 119 entries.
Please bear in mind I have received more pictures, some of them in a state that cannot be uploaded due to very confusing and not good for Insurance.
Some other pictures I have received with very scarce or no information and I am a bit disoriented.

I will not name names, for all are very kind and more than generous in contributing, but please update your pictures and your swords list.

Thank you all.

Antonio

24th November 2005, 09:39 AM	#3
Antonio Cejunior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 294	NICE NUMBER OF ENTRIES NOVEMBER 24 Hi everyone, We have reached a very encouraging number of entries. Please check here and we're still waiting for Vandoo's entries. I think that once everyone send me their entries as descriptions, we will be able to start the selection process and discuss it. Let's wait until the end of the month? November 30? This is great work. Very best to all, Antonio

26th November 2005, 11:52 PM	#4
Antonio Cejunior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 294	Amazing number of entries Hi Gentlemen, Just thought I would chime in. Until now, the entries list has reached a record of 76, soon to be 78 as I mistakenly thought two items were repetitions. This is really amazing. Please take a good look at the link's contents. I now there are more to come. Bless you all.

29th November 2005, 11:20 PM	#7
Antonio Cejunior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 294	PHOTOGRAPHIC TUTORIAL Good morning everyone, In view of the need to ensure that pictures on the list are very clear I took the liberty of making a Swords Photography Tutorial in case any of our generous contributors have any difficulty with getting things right. I will now only upload photographs that carry enough quality and clearness as the pictures will be all the Museum will have for showing the Insurance Company therefore it is on your own interest. Please don't take me wrong or misunderstand me. The group has been nothing but FANTASTIC and GENEROUS but I really want to be sure things are very clear and beyond doubt. I hope the tutorial is usable by some of you gentlemen and in no way intends to be more than a way to assist any contributor which has had difficulties taking pictures with a white background. Best regards to you all Antonio

8th December 2005, 12:51 PM	#8
Antonio Cejunior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 294	UPDATED LIST OF ENTRIES Greetings everyone, I have updated the entries list in terms of weapons information. Please check here http://www.arscives.com/historysteel...ntributors.htm and click refresh. So far I have included 119 entries. Please bear in mind I have received more pictures, some of them in a state that cannot be uploaded due to very confusing and not good for Insurance. Some other pictures I have received with very scarce or no information and I am a bit disoriented. I will not name names, for all are very kind and more than generous in contributing, but please update your pictures and your swords list. Thank you all. Antonio

17th November 2005, 09:06 PM	#1
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	To answer as many of these questions as I can from my own experience and understanding (and I guess preference as far as the forum itself goes). Threads: As many as you need. I know Antonio suggested otherwise, but I AM IN CONTROL!!!!! (mua ha ha ha ha ....). Seriously, my thinking is that a few, focused threads on specific topics is better than mushy threads that sort of cover everything. In this way, everyone can go right to the topic in order to ask or get answered any question they have without have to search through a long string of posts in one huge thread. I will start a few that I think might be useful, and we can decide if it works or not. Photos: You don't have to photograph your entire collection. The first thing I did was look through my collection and physically pull out and put aside the pieces that I thought were nice and would be good for the section. Then to the extent I didn't have some picture of it already, I took a quick photo. It doesn't have to be a Picasso or Pulitzer Prize caliber picture, but something clear enough to let the other's see what it is & how it looks. The high quality pictures for the catalogue will be taken by the Museum once the final pieces arrive in Macao. Time away from home: I am allowing six months in my own mind, between the time before the show for processing, the three months exhibition itself, and some time to pack up and ship back after the show. Antonio I am sure will give a better answer than that, though. Decision making: That is most of what will be done here on the Forum. I have no idea personally about what to put in and what not to, but I can help with suggestions just based on what I know of the exhibition hall layout (which I have seen in person), and what I have learned while doing my own section. I have already given a few just about sort of the mental approach you should all take. I do highly recommend that one or two people make the first broad cut once everything is on the table. What I did at first was to take everything we had and group stuff by similarity, literally moving photos around in a PowerPoint file. Then we looked them over and decided which best showed a particular style or feature or historic period. It also helped us notice gaps. So maybe one person at first can sit and take all the barongs offered and put them together, all the kris, etc. I did this by printing out the pictures from our working page and laying them out on the floor in stacks, then going back and re-grouping the pictures on the computer. We had fewer pieces than you do, but I suggest organizing them in groups as a list with their ID numbers, and forwarding that to Antonio and I, who will then physically group them on the web (assuming that is what you all want). Posting some pictures here as suggestions by whoever does this first step is a good idea, as well as posting representatives of the proposed groups. Whatever you think will work, and we can adjust as we go along. Irreplacable pieces Rick said it all. Everything in this exhibition will be irreplaceable, either literally or sentimentally. We do need to have a certain level of trust in the process. There are things that are priceless to the point where placing an insurance value on them, no matter how high, is meaningless. I have said many times that based on direct personal interviews and inspections of the Museum operations & facilities, that Antonio, the Museum, and the Museum staff have my 100% confidence in every respect. Of course, that opinion is worth as much as my credibility is with you, but I hope I have at least a little. If you don't know, I am a 42 year-old lawyer who has not only lived abroad, but have had my share of getting screwed, this in addition to spending 12+ years litigating against other wily lawyers, which sharpens your BS detecter, your paranoia, and your ability not to be taken for a ride. So, I know what to look for and what to look out for. I hope this helps. I am sure others have more to add. I'll go start some basic threads, now.

27th November 2005, 01:03 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,282	Boy do I feel stupid - I just now re-read this thread and saw your suggestion for me to coordinate and select the collectors part. Catching on slowly but surely.