[Gustav]

[QUOTE=A. G. Maisey]

Thank you for your illuminating and considered response Gustav.

I do understand your reluctance to share your knowledge with us, and I am certain you have brought tears to the eyes of many who were so eagerly awaiting your revelations.

QUOTE]

Alan, why such attitude?

I know, that you don't need any answers (as the thread "The Size of the Keris" clearly showed), and if, then only as a stage to demonstrate for another time your superior knowledge, superior ability to articulate and some other abilities.

Your posts in this thread are implying, that you most probably don't pay much attention to iconographical elements of 16th/17th cent. javanese figural hilts, to possible correspondences in East Javanese and Ming art, developments and dissolutions of these elements in later hilts, to the analysis of these elements.

Well, it's also a way.

Instead, in your last post, you deny that Tantric symbolism is still present in 16th/17th cent. javanese figural hilts. If the hilt carvers of today share your view, it's understandable, why the copies of old hilts are mostly quite well distinguishable.

Nevertheless, in your post #7 you are asking me to expand on comments about:

1) some indicators, which are typical for early figural hilts and doesn't appear on later Pasisir figural hilts, and this particular hilt has many of them

2) symbolism within the Tumpal, and the state of development of the reversed Tumpal under the feet of the figure

3) one very important feature, in which modern replicas of these hilts mostly fail.

I must say, you have always been very reluctant to answer such kind of direct questions in the past, and I have learned, that such questions, and especially from you, mostly are provocations. And they also once more let me think about your proximity with hilt carvers.

To the hilt - in my initial post I wrote: possibly 17th cent. and possibly rhino horn. Judging by the execution of iconographical details (unfortunately not by the proper javanese indicator of age) it could be one. There most probably will be no possibility to be certain about the material, yet - if it is an old one, it would be something very rare even if made from Kerbau horn, because there are only three other figural 16th/17th cent. javanese hilts published, and perhaps a couple more in private collections.

I suppose, the blade it came with doesn't really belong to the context, because of the amount of glue used to secure this ensemble. I also wouldn't expect such work from Indonesia, unless it was done by a blind person under time pressure.