Hawleys Sword Theft Report

[BIG]

Hi all, here is you tube with him...

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KF7TbTdUVew

 

Best Regards

[ggil]

We all should have alarm systems, safes bolted to the foundation, a few guns stashed around the place, and a pit-bull (you can get them cheap from the pound all day long).  Helps me sleep at night.  The pit bull can be rather trying of ones patience though. 

[SAS]

Interview was from 1981; it seemed that maybe he was unwilling to invest in security as much as he invested in art....perhaps a lesson there.

[b.hennick]

I got to visit Willis Hawley in the 1980s after his robbery. My cousin, who lived in LA at the time, took us to Hawley's house. My cousin was a cabinet maker as was Hawley. I think that the two of them talked about tools as much as we talked about swords and books. I had been buying books from Hawley for many years, so a phone call from LA, was all that was needed to set up the visit. The video brought back memories. Just before coming to this post I looked up a smith in Hawley's big brown book of smiths for someone. His work is still appreciated by collectors. 

[Stephen]

Yes Sir cross reference most assuredly brings out the Big Brown  

[Ron STL]

There were a number of sword thefts back around that time, Hawley, Stanley Kellert, I'm drawing a blank on the well known east coast collector who was robbed. I started to keep a file on what was stolen for the JSS/US whenever a usable list of stolen items could be gotten. Not sure the "file" ever did much good to have. Makes me wonder if it's still filed away somewhere here. About this time is when the JSS/US stopped issuing a membership roster complete with members' names and address by state/country. Everyone became more security conscious. Ron STL

[BIG]

Most of the swords are still lost...

 

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-01-22/local/me-1345_1_japanese-swords

 

Best Regards

[ggil]

Thanks Peter, btw, for the seemingly never ending supply of informative and useful contributions. Keep up the good work!