Mendak

[DAHenkel]

Wasn't there a thread some time not so far back about these pieces? I think s/o in the know said they were from Madura...made by Balinese migrants in a sort of hybrid style. There was one very nice one some years ago from a Polish museum which caused quite a stir and there is another very nice one in the Museum Nasional's collection in Jakarta that is pictured in Hamzuri.

[danny1976]

Everybody thanks for joining the discussion !

Yes it is realy hard to find some good info on keris from East Jawa , I did some reading in some books that i have but in no book that i have there is a clear description of keris like this . Personal I like keris like this the are ''big '' and have a rough appearance .

Then is there the question about the mendhak , the only that I could find was on the disk of Jensen in the chapter of East jawa . I'm copying a piece of it here
#############keris disc Jensen ################
The Mendaks are of the same types as those found in Central Java. The blades are
difficult to define. The Balinese/Western Javanese character may appear by the fact that
their blades are heavier and broader than the Central Javanese. Even if they are having
the same decorations as the Central Javanese ones they are more coarsely executed than
both the central Javanese and Balinese ones.

############################################

Or maybe the keris is from the time that the Balinese tried to invade in
Madura , like DA Henkel mentioned , Jensen is also writing a piece about that in the Madura Chapter.

Why is it that there is almost no history know of keris like this

Danny

[VVV]

Danny,

I have one of its cousins with a resembling mendak that just slightly covers more of the hilt.

Michael

[David]

Originally Posted by VVV

Danny,

I have one of its cousins with a resembling mendak that just slightly covers more of the hilt.

Michael

I would say that unlike Danny's mendak, which looks to have been made to fit the flat bottom surface of a typical planar style Javanese hilt, your mendak seems to have been made to fit the curved contour of this bondalan form.

[Gustav]

Danny, what is the diameter of this mendak?

[A. G. Maisey]

Danny, I know this style of mendak, and class of workmanship, as Madura, village work.

The dress I think I would probably give as Sumenep, Bali --- good story goes with this, but I'm pressed for time, and I think I might have already told the yarn anyway.

The distinction between Sumenep - Bali and Bali - Bali is very fine as it is a matter of proportion, I cannot rely on photos to tell me accurately what the proportions are of this dress.

From what I can see of the blade, it does have some Tuban characteristics, but from the pics the material does not look like Tuban, again anybody with any knowledge would really have to handle it before giving a definite opinion. I cannot give one based on photos.

Re "East Jawa". Madura is in East Jawa. It is a part of East Jawa. Used to be a ferry ride to get there, these days you drive over a bridge.

There is definite Bali influence in the dress of keris from Blambangan, but I do not know this particular dress of yours as Blambangan.

Based upon what I have been told by people living in Sumenep, and what I can see in these photos, on balance I would opt for Sumenep - Bali.

The mendak might be gold --- anything is possible --- but in all honesty the quality of workmanship simply does not sit well with even a village gold smith, it looks like a village jeweller's work, and I feel that I would be more inclined to guess at an alloy something like pinchbeck. If it is in fact Sumenep - Bali, I'd be inclined to leave it exactly as is.

[Jean]

Danny, this is a nice and rare style of mendak anyway.
Alan, please repeat the Sumenep - Bali story when you have time as I don't remember to have read it (unless somebody can refer to the thread in question), is it linked to the event when the Madurese enrolled Balinese soldiers for fighting against the Mataram kingdom?
Regards