I love that keris grip btw. As a kid I often went to the ethnography museum with my parents here in Leiden, and the colorful Indonesian (and particularly Balinese) demon masks and Rangda in particular always creeped me out in a good way. Those creepy lidless eyes, those tusks, and that tongue! I love good horror imagery and monsters of any sort, but I have to admit that western demons don't really compare to the Balinese version.

I have just added this Hulu to my collection.( the picture on the left)

It is said to depict the goddess Devi Sarawati which represents knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is also part of the Tridevi with goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati.

I believe this was carved in the '70.

The material should be albino water buffalo horn ( or white Kerbau )

Interestingly at the same auction where I acquired my Hulu there was also ANOTHER (Right in the picture) almost identical hilt which was mounted on a similar kris where this will be mounted .

A Putra Satu in ivory, just entered the collection.

Nice hilt in a rare material! Congrats for a nice addition to your collection. :cool:

same to you Detlef

Another one in blonde horn, a Ramajala from Tegal, ex. Wolfgang Spielmann and Wolfgang Schilling collection.

A really finely carved one - congrats, Detlef!

Regards,
Kai

You've all got some stunning examples and with good pedigree too!

There are only a few true figural examples here, see bottom left corner.

The other image, whilst not a keris hulu and is I guess off topic, it is related to some degree and worth a share within this post.

Thank you Kai, it comes together with this wrongko and a blade but the blade needs first a proper warangan.

Regards,
Detlef

WOW Detlef, that patina! Those carvings!!! The condition!!!

Hi Gav,

Thanks! Have to agree by patina and carving! The condition is acceptable, the leaf in front was once broken and it's not a good restoration.
But the ensemble is nice! ;)

Oh, a tragic break. Nice to see that the break away section was retained though.
There are very good craftsmen out there who can faithfully repair these issues, but equally I feel sometimes things are best left alone and preserved as they are.

I know people also who would be able to restore it much better but I tend to leave it alone.

Detlef, there are a number of ways that we can repair this sort damage, some are almost imperceptible, others are a bit clumsy,but when the damage gets to the level that the damage on your wrongko has reached, the usual decision is to change the shape of the wrongko and make it a kacir style.

The Madurese kacir wrongko has a shortened and pointed front (angkup) and a shortened and pointed rear (daunan):-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13435

I just reread this thread, it is worth a re-read, but post #11 is a good example of something that might have had the kacir treatment.

But if you cannot handle basic carving, then it might be best just re-do the present attempt and use tinted Araldite as both adhesive & filler.

Not wanting to move of the hulu topic, but am I seeing a crocodile and a bird in the carvings?
Both seem to be important figures in sea going cultures.

What is the legend behind the carvings on Detlef's wrongko?

Hello Alan,

For the moment I will let it be like this, it will be a future project to open the glued break and hot water damp and reglue it in a better way and fill up the missing piece of wood with wax or something else.
For the moment I have waxed it, it looks much better now.

To recarve the wrongko is no option.

Regards,
Detlef

Hello Gav,

Frankly said I don't seeing a bird nor a crocodile, I see a wing, yes, but I suppose it's either the Kuda Sembrani (a winged horse, said to coming from the Keraton Suminep) or Garuda, both symbols you can find also in front of some Donoriko hilts, see attached pictures.

Regards,
Detlef

Detlef, I would suggest that hot water is not really necessary, and water applied directly to the wood is perhaps not advisable.

Possibly the easiest way to get a glued joint apart is to put it in contact with damp cloth, wrap the cloth around it is what is usually done. It might take a few days, but most joints will usually weaken with this treatment.

Then wait a few weeks until the wood is thoroughly dry.

Hello Alan,

I've done something like this before over hot water damp, without any direct contact to the water. A wet cloth around the joint gives more contact to the wood I guess.
But like said, I will let it first in this condition, it looks much better now and will be a later project. And I think that I only fill up the missing piece of wood.

Regards,
Detlef

Detlef, the problem with holding a piece of timber over hot water to loosen adhesive is that there can be risk of raising the grain of the wood, thus creating a situation where you could need to refinish the entire piece.

If you use a damp --- only damp, not dripping water --- cloth & cold water, that risk of raising the grain is reduced to a minimum.

In fact, with fine cabinet work, and other types of fine finishing of timber, we deliberately raise the grain prior to polishing, I was taught to do this by using a damp cloth and then a hot iron on the damp cloth, but these days I often use an electric steam iron.

Additionally, now we sometimes find that a repair has been done with other than ordinary wood adhesives, these will not loosen up from the damp by softening the adhesive, but with damp and time, the grain of the wood itself will usually weaken and you can separate the joint.

Hello Alan,

It seems that I have had good luck before.
Thank you for the very useful tips, I am sure that you know what you are talking about! ;)

Regards,
Detlef

All interesting stuff gentlemen, but just a reminder that this is a thread specifically dedicated to figural hilts. ;)
Carry on...

An array of figural hulu from an old Instagram post I made a few months ago... ever vigilant gazes of the ancestors.

Gavin

this is another of my Balinese figural hilts , it is not Hanuman because it lacks a tail , I think it may be a Raksasa form

A Punakawan?

probably :)

Apparently (I found some other threads here talking about the Balinese variant of the Punakawan, this is Twalen or Tualen


"....Tualen (tualèn) or Malen is one of the punakawan figures (Balinese parěkan) in the wayang tradition in Bali. His character is similar to Semar in Javanese wayang. In the Balinese wayang tradition, Tualen is depicted as an old man with an ugly face, black skin, but behind his appearance, he has a noble heart, has good manners, knows manners and likes to give wise advice. In the Balinese wayang tradition in general, there are three sons, namely: Merdah, Delem and Sangut. The four of them (including Tualen) are clowns who are very well known among Balinese people....."

Yes, i believe Twalen is often depicted missing his top front teeth.

Twalen & Mwerdah

Pick up couple of Balinese hilts for my small but growing collection.
It’s almost as addictive as Keris…..