Bali Hilt

[David]

I just won this on ePray. Not exactly sure why i was attracted to this little guy other than the price seemed right. It is not a masterful carving by any means, but i do like the details and the patina. Doesn't seem too old, but certainly has some age.
I do wonder if anyone has any ideas who this character is though. From the front he looks pretty human, but something about the side view give me the impression of a lion-headed being. Any thoughts? :shrug: :)

[Marcokeris]

The hilt could be Navasari (from the flower in the back)

[David]

The hilt arrived and here are a few more pictures. I still don't get the feeling that this is Navasari. I have seen this posture with the sheaf over the back with other characters as well. There is definitely something very lion-like about the face. :shrug: Of course it could just be another unidentifiable variations that we see from time to time.

[A. G. Maisey]

David, over the years I've known more than a few carvers in Jawa and Bali, and what I have noted is that unless a specific known, traditional form of something is deliberately aimed at, the carver will look at the material with a vague outline in his mind, and allow the material to dictate the finished form as he works.

This is a contemporary hilt, I have no doubt that the carver just wanted to produce the most saleable form he could from the material he had available.