Yes, the old hilts usually attributed to Cirebon do display a high level of artistic excellence.
As to why this is so, I doubt that we will ever know. We could theorise about it all day, and one guess is probably as good as another.
My own personal theory is that the artistic expression shown in the Cirebon hilts, and in other areas of Cirebon art and craft, was generated by the twofold factors of external Chinese influence, and a resurgence of Javanese values, similar to what happened in Kartosuro when Dutch overlordship threatened Javanese culture.
These influences, combined with a spirit of competition between the royal houses administering Cirebon resulted in the production of the beautiful hilts that we now associate with this area.
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