coments on this...a help

[A. G. Maisey]

Henk, I can see the discolouration on the back of wrongko too, but in my experience, this is not consistent with the previous fitting of a pendok. When a pendok is fitted the gandar is left as raw timber, and very often finished to a very crude standard; it is advantageous for a gandar fitted with a pendok to be a bit rough, because it helps to retain the pendok; additionally the tip of the gandar is often left square, or open, it is rarely finished to a smooth curve; often the transition from gandar to atasan is less than neat. This keris has a fully finished, and perfectly shaped gandar, which bears a finish showing about the same degree of patina as the atasan, the transition from gandar to atasan would have been neat when this wrongko was made. In brief, the gandar simply has not been made in the way that a gandar to be fitted with a pendok is made. Yes, at some time somebody might have thought that it would look better with a pendok, but it is never possible just to pick up a pendok and push it onto the gandar, it needs to be fitted, and that fitting removes wood.

There are several possibilities for the discolouration:- the gandar has been reglued and the discolouration was caused by the cleanup; the keris has been suspended by a cloth loop or similar for a lengthy period; at some point in its life the wrongko joint was covered with a cloth or a metal band.

Regarding false pelet. I do not know what is used to create the stain, however it was very widely used in both Jawa and Bali, and sometimes it is so good that it is almost impossible to detect.

[Henk]

Alan,

Thank you for your explanation.
Looking a little bit further I have to agree with you. The gandar is in a good condition and the scabbard on the backside has a matching patina between gandar and wrongko.
Probably the discolouration is a result of one of the possibilities you mentioned.

[ferrylaki]

Originally Posted by Henk

Alan,

Thank you for your explanation.
Looking a little bit further I have to agree with you. The gandar is in a good condition and the scabbard on the backside has a matching patina between gandar and wrongko.
Probably the discolouration is a result of one of the possibilities you mentioned.

The pelet motive on the gayaman seem too bright, pelet motive usually comes darker. I also agree about the gandar is a match with the gayaman.
thia is an example of my old timoho gayaman. the motive is not a favorite one, but still nice though. a very dark pelet timoho.
Some friends told me it is a east java gayaman style.

I've seen some modification on pelet motive. mostly they were found on " pelet kendhit" ( belt pattern pelet) in order to make the pattern they some kind of put something hot on the gayaman ( wood) the burnt wood left a dark
pattern...they made a circular ( horizontal) pattern around the gayaman, and a pelet kendit it is. but unfortunately I dont have the picture of the fake pelet kendhit.

FERRY

[Marcokeris]

Could the two sarong be from Madura area?

[Emanuel]

Thanks Henk and Ferry for the explanation. I had not seen this done before.

Emanuel

[blacklacrau]

This type of hilt is not very usual? I do not remember to have seen images like this one...
Thanks

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by blacklacrau

This type of hilt is not very usual? I do not remember to have seen images like this one...
Thanks

The hilt seems without the usual patras on the front portion of the hilt. Shape of the hilt resembles the stylistic semar type...

[Henk]

Originally Posted by blacklacrau

This type of hilt is not very usual? I do not remember to have seen images like this one...
Thanks

As Alam Shah said it resembles the stylistic semar type without the usual patras on the front side. I've seen these ukirans more often. If I'm not mistaken this kind of ukiran is more usual in East Java.
I must admit that I really appriciate this type of ukiran.