Appreciation of Palembang hilt
 

Has been a while not logging in here due to work restriction.
I thought I can share this lovely ivory Palembang hilt. Still looking crisp but yet have some age patina to it. Probably not very old. I was actually impressed by the deep, small and detail carvings. Was told that the art of carving like this is as good as 'dead' there. Interestingly, I also noticed that the buah pinang is actually carved from a separate ivory and joined together in such delicate manner that both fits very well and tight. Very smart and beautifully executed since the carver has restriction of ivory material (maybe?).

Lovely! :)

very lovely

Very beautiful.

I wonder how much it takes time to make something like this? :eek:

Thanks,

J.

Good work!

IVery nice hilt.
I heard that in Indonesia carvers are using dental drills.
This one is very finely carved.
I assume that this is real manual work.

But can someone confirm this ?

Best regards,
Willem

Willem, i'm not sure how one would ever know for sure unless they knew the carver. Personally i think tools are just that. I don't think it lessens the artistry of the work if modern tools are involved as long as the artist knows how to properly use them.

I agree with David! :)

It's the skills! though good tools would help artists achieve greater heights. :)

A friend ever brought a similar ivory piece to a late mastercarver in Kelantan (northern Malaysia) and hope to seek some pointers how a mranggi would achieved something like this. The explaination he got was pretty simple - he (the mranggi or carver) is very skillful and definite got his special knife or tools in order to carve like that.

What I am looking for is some differences between carving the old way and 'carving' with dental / drills.

This specific hilt has some very fine lines and curls that end 'pointed'.
I assume that with only a dental drill this would not be possible... ?

Hi all, I'm carving a Bali togogan in ivory at the moment and I use a dremel with dental type burrs to get the outline and then refine any cuts (if they need a pointed end to them) with small knives and awls. Newsteel-that hilt is fantastic! :D

Dear Lemmy (?),

Interesting. could you post some pictures of your carving.
I think it would be intersting to see what a dermel can do and what traditional tools than can add to that.

Best regards,
Willem

Willem, i don't imagine that any good modern craftsman would only use a dremel when doing this type of work. I am fairly sure that some hand tools would also come into play. :shrug:

Hi Willem, here's some snaps of how he looks roughed out with an angle grinder, dremel with milling cutters/burrs and then with a little work with knives. I still have some to do with the dremel yet-I've been trying to get his hands right using fine blades to make his fingers/pancanaka thumb. :D He's 125mm overall including selut.

Lemmy, you blow my mind . :cool:
WoW !

Lemmy,

Impressive already even in this unfinished state.
Would love to see the further prorgess in due time.

The selut is silver ?

Best regards,
Willem

Thanks guys!! :D Yes, the selut is silver-the stones will be star rubies. Still a lot of work to do on this keris! :D

Lemmy, it would be interesting if you started a thread on this project and kept us updated . :)

Yes, please! :)

Yes please :)

Lemmy, is that your hamster on your avatar!? Is it real? :)

Hi Bluerf, that's a photo I was emailed-originally titled "I do think it will fit" it's not been photoshopped, a hamster I had could "pouch" a full pecan nut with shell. He looked pretty much like the one in the avatar!! :D