Frey Collection Picit

[David]

Yep. While i will pass no judgement on the material it could quite possibly be as you say. People don't always tell the truth. Go figure!
But it is that blade i find really interesting. As has been noted, i can't think of any picit blades outside of Jawa. Perhaps a few. Anybody? This blade had been in Frey's collection at least since the early 80s and probably longer. But it does not appear to be a Javanese blade to my eyes. I know nothing about the resurgence of keris production in Malaysia, only that it had been practically dead in Jawa post WWII until the 1970s when it got a kick start through the encouragement of people like Dietrich Drescher so i am inclined to think that this must be a pre-WWII blade at the very least. I would be interested in hearing if someone has a different interpretation, but i would not think that a blade like this would have been made between the time the war and the 1980s perhaps anywhere in Indonesia. I would be very interested to know if anyone is aware of a tradition of picit blades outside of Jawa.

[kai]

Hello David,

Yes, I was going to concentrate on the blade, too.

I would be very interested to know if anyone is aware of a tradition of picit blades outside of Jawa.

Yes, there is. I have seen several of these shorter and stout blades from other areas of the archipelago - some have picit, too.

While it may be tough to verify whether these all really originated from outside of the land of Jawa, I'd at least suggest that the pamor motifs here are not typical and also the ricikan and gandik features suggest different influences.

I've also had an antique alameng sword with several picit "thumb prints" on an otherwise typical Bugis blade.

Regards,
Kai

[David]

Originally Posted by kai

Yes, there is. I have seen several of these shorter and stout blades from other areas of the archipelago - some have picit, too.

While it may be tough to verify whether these all really originated from outside of the land of Jawa, I'd at least suggest that the pamor motifs here are not typical and also the ricikan and gandik features suggest different influences.

Yes, the dhapur is not so much a question for me. I have also seen similar profiled blades from location outside Jawa, just not with the picit feature.
And yes, it is those very features you mention, especially the specific pamor motifs present here, that lead me to believe this is not a Jawa blade. It would not be so much of an enigma to me if not for the picit.
You mention that you have seen some of these shorter and stout Malay keris with picit. Do you have any examples you can show? Anyone?

[David]

Originally Posted by kai

I've also had an antique alameng sword with several picit "thumb prints" on an otherwise typical Bugis blade.

Actually Kai, even though we usually try to keep the postings on this forum to only keris, i wouldn't mind having a look at that sword just to establish visually that the talismanic concept of picit markings was established in Bugis culture. It's just not something i have seen before seeing this Frey keris. If you would care to share a photo that would be great.

[Jean]

A good friend referred me to the auction listings (www.heliosauctions.com), so those of you who are interested can discover them
Regards

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

A good friend referred me to the auction listings (www.heliosauctions.com), so those of you who are interested can discover them
Regards

Thanks Jean. I posted a similar link directly to the piece in question above in post #17.
From what i understand this keris went for more than 3 times estimated price.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

Thanks Jean. I posted a similar link directly to the piece in question above in post #17.
From what i understand this keris went for more than 3 times estimated price.

A typical kris for "nouveaux riches"

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

A typical kris for "nouveaux riches"

LOL! I was not aware that collection of keris was now a fad amongst the nouveau riche.
As we all know the price for a nice keris can run really high for a any number of reasons. If the bidder truly felt this was solid gold as claimed that would, of course, add to the material cost of this keris. The ivory parts, with paperwork attesting to it antiquity also adds to that material value. But other factors are probably at play here as well. Being a part of an acknowledged private collection of an established and generally respected author on keris probably adds some value for certain collectors just as any item that can be established as having belonged to a well know person or celebrity. It is a piece that was published in a book most keris collectors probably own. But i would also like to draw your attention once again to the elephant in the room which very few here seem to want to engage in discussion on. This is what appears to be a pre-WWII (at least) keris picit of Malaysian origin. I think your call of early 20th Century might well be correct, but judging the exact era when this keris was made seems difficult. It may be older for all i know. As such, at least from what i know, this is a rather rare specimen. Please, someone, show me another non-contemporary keris picit made in Malaysia. Show me one even not made in Jawa. I can't say i have ever seen one. So from a collector's perspective this seems to be a rather unusual item and as we all know, rare items in the keris world will demand high prices. Whether the pendok is solid gold or not might not be a driving factor in that equation.

[kai]

Hello Jean,

A typical kris for "nouveaux riches"

Well, showing better taste than gem-studded smartphones, etc.

I'd guess that it went back home into SE Asia though - it's not unusual for special pieces to reach prices that most western collectors are not used to...

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Hello David,

even though we usually try to keep the postings on this forum to only keris, i wouldn't mind having a look at that sword just to establish visually that the talismanic concept of picit markings was established in Bugis culture.

Here's the link: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12141

The blade shows some typical Bugis features and I am confident that this blade originates from Sulawesi.

I will try to comment on picit from other areas later...

Regards,
Kai

[David]

Thanks Kai!

[Marcus]

I sat in on that auction. There was a Chakra estimated at about $900 that went for $19,000 (plus 22% premium)! Quite a number of the Kris went unsold. I picked up this one for the opening bid.

From the catalog:
Fine old blade (pamor restored) and Surakarta style hilt, with green and gold demon face and fanciful Indonesian designs. It is noted by Edward Frey in the description for this kris that it is "Another scabbard decorated by the aging Solo artist."

Publications: Frey, Edward. "The Kris: Mystic weapon of the Malay world." New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Fig. 8(b).

length 19 1/2 in.

Took them two weeks to ship. Should get it Tuesday.

[David]

i like that keris Marcus! Strange that no one else bid on it, but lucky for you.

[David]

Originally Posted by Marcus

Quite a number of the Kris went unsold.

I just reviewed the auction and just for the record it looks like just 7 keris went unsold and the vast majority that did went for a fair bot more than their estimated value.