Megantoro

[A. G. Maisey]

Nice keris Marco.

Pak Ganja, would be kind enough to list the ricikan of keris dhapur megantoro for us?

Thank you.

[ganjawulung]

With pleasure, Alan, I try to describe it. This dhapur is one of my favorite for a long time. And one of the best Megantara (or Megantoro) I've ever seen in my hand is the one in the collection of Mr Haryono Guritno (as you may see in his book, "Keris Jawa" on page 319 and 358 -- picture below). A Megantara with tinatah emas (gold ornament) "wadana sawelas" (ornaments in eleven surfaces of the blade) in Yogyakartan dress of timoho gayaman ('ngingrim motif'), gold pendhok with diamonds... A truly elegant keris pusaka of Yogyakarta.

IMHO, from what I've seen from other Megantara kerises too, it is the type of "medium sized" keris. Mine is 33 cm length without pesi (almost 7 cm), compare to most Javanese kerises that usually measured 35 cm without pesi. All has "wilut" (double curve, or it is more precise -- "kelap lintah") ganja. And it usually has details of sekar kacang "pogok" (not full sekar kacang) but in a specific form of "kecambah" (sprout?) or even at a glance -- as cock's head.. Other details -- it has always seven luks, with one jalen, one lambe gajah, pejetan, tikel alis, greneng with curving end, and must have a kruwingan until 3/4 of the blade... It looks more feminine blade, than masculin...

Why always seven? It might be traced from its name "mega" or sky. In "candra sengkala" sky also reflect "7" score too. Also in Indonesian expression, we know this paraphrase of "... sampai langit ke tujuh" or 'until the seventh sky'.

I don't know who created this dhapur. But from what I've seen, at least from the pusaka of Yogyakarta in the hand of Haryono Guritno -- the tangguh supposed to be Majapahit...

GANJAWULUNG

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Pak Ganja.

So, would an accurate list of the ricikan that are found in keris dhapur megantoro be:-

luk tujuh, gonjo wilut, ada-ada, kembang kacang pogok, lambe gajah satu, jalen satu, kruwingan, greneng ?

Is there anything that I have ommitted?

Yes, I agree with you that this seems like a tangguh Majapahit keris dhapur, well, East Jawa at least.

[ganjawulung]

Yes, Alan. And the last luk is longer, and even straight at the tip of the blade. So, always combination of keris with luks and straight at the tip of the blade... Perhaps Empu Supa's style, IMHO...

GANJAWULUNG

[ganjawulung]

Will it be exagerated, if I supposed that this popular Si Ginje in the collection of the National Museum of Indonesia also was made by the same Empu? Empu Supa of Majapahit kingdom? Or which Supa? Look at the style and ornaments of this Sumatran keris...

GANJAWULUNG

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Pak Ganja.

So there is only one kembang kacang?

As you would appreciate, the attribution of a blade to a particular maker is very difficult. I'm well aware of the conventions that attribute blades to various makers upon the similarity in styles to agreed standards, however, if we were to accept without question these conventions, I think Empu Kinom must have produced maybe 10,000 blades or more during his lifetime. Quite incredible production. Similar production numbers can be attributed to other well known and popular makers also.

So, when we look at a couple of blades and see some similarities in those blades, I really do feel it is drawing a very long bow to attribute to the same maker.

It might be more wise to attribute to the same school, as we do with art works in other fields that possess similar characteristics.

[ganjawulung]

Yes, Alan, I agree. The same school... Coincidentally, with the same luk -- 7 luks -- and the same style with kruwingan at 3/4 of the blade, and "gelung" (kanyut) at the end of the greneng...

GANJAWULUNG