Unknown Origin

[rizramon]

Hi, owned this Keris from another collector. Its unique. Open for discussion for its origin and dapur style as it can't find the answer, Length is about 37.3cm. Thanks

[David]

Well that is an odd bird indeed. Clearly i would place the dhapur in the Mahesa/Kebo family, but this one is kind of unusual. It appears to be both sincerely old and well made, but the style of the ridges and markings along the gandik are unknown to me. Do you know what the inset metal is? Gold, Suasa, Brass???
The hilt is a bit unusual as well, though it doesn't seem all that old and could be somewhat non-traditional, so i'm not sure if it can help with identifying the origins of the blade. Appears to be some kind of wadon hilt though.

[A. G. Maisey]

Yeah, queer fish.

At this point I need to reserve comment on the blade, as David has said, it is a kebo style, but not like anything I can recall having seen.

The mendak appears to be a bit unusual & probably has some age.

The hilt images are not easy to read, & I suspect a punakawan.

The wrongko a generic Javanese gayaman.

[David]

The hilt images are not easy to read, & I suspect a punakawan.

Alan, can you define "punakawan". The best my online translator comes up with is "friends" and that doesn't really make sense to me in this case.

[Sajen]

Alan, can you define "punakawan". The best my online translator comes up with is "friends" and that doesn't really make sense to me in this case.

Hello David,

The four punakawan, Semar, Petruk, Gareng and Bagong. The four friends!

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Picture taken from "Pesona Hulu Keris, The Beauty Of Keris Hilt", collection Aswin Wirjadi, page 161.

[A. G. Maisey]

Yep.

[David]

Thanks Detlef. I see it now. Could not tell from the one angle from the photo and it looked like he had breasts at first. But this makes sense now.

[JustYS]

Picture taken from "Pesona Hulu Keris, The Beauty Of Keris Hilt", collection Aswin Wirjadi, page 161.

Hi Sajen,

Just to expand a bit on punakawan, they are not merely servants or escorts of the Pandawa knights.

The following is an excerpt from Jogjakarta Under Sultan Mangkubumi by M.C.Ricklefs:

[Sajen]

Hi Sajen,

Just to expand a bit on punakawan, they are not merely servants or escorts of the Pandawa knights.

The following is an excerpt from Jogjakarta Under Sultan Mangkubumi by M.C.Ricklefs:

Thanks for the additional information!

Regards,
Detlef

[gp]

some additional info:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26168
https://eudl.eu/pdf/10.4108/eai.4-11-2020.2314181 (page 6 and next)
https://steemit.com/wayang/@soffel/philosophy-and-meaning-of-punakawan-bagong
http://shadowtheatre-ika.blogspot.com/2008/01/figures-punakawan.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punokawan