Shadow Keris

BluErf · 10th November 2010, 12:56 PM

I agree that this keris is not contemporary. The smiths in Malaysia has lost the ability to produce anything even close to this now. It's a beautiful keris, and age is one thing we cannot fault it on; it will age nicely.

Alam Shah · 10th November 2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluErf

I agree that this keris is not contemporary. The smiths in Malaysia has lost the ability to produce anything even close to this now. It's a beautiful keris, and age is one thing we cannot fault it on; it will age nicely.

Prior to contrary belief, it is not true Kai Wee. Through WW2 smiths in Pattani did continue keris production in remote regions, although in smaller scale.. slowed down during WW2 but increased production since.. info from various sources.

BluErf · 11th November 2010, 07:12 AM

I see new kerises from the North, but they are just KLOs made with power tools from metal blanks. Haven't seen a really good quality new keris from the area yet. If there are, I would be most happy for the future of Malay kerises!

laEspadaAncha · 12th November 2010, 03:23 AM

Don't spend too much time in this forum, but the thread title intrigued me. David, that's one stunning photograph and you are correct in that it would make for an eye-catching cover.

David · 12th November 2010, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

Don't spend too much time in this forum, but the thread title intrigued me. David, that's one stunning photograph and you are correct in that it would make for an eye-catching cover.

Thanks, a compliment much appreciated...

PenangsangII · 26th November 2010, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluErf

I see new kerises from the North, but they are just KLOs made with power tools from metal blanks. Haven't seen a really good quality new keris from the area yet. If there are, I would be most happy for the future of Malay kerises!

I cant agree more.

In recent years, due to exposure from electronic media, the interest on keris has improved tremendously, but this supposedly good development also had invited unscrupulous makers and dealers alike. Thus the KLOs are flooding the Malaysian keris market.

tunggulametung · 26th November 2010, 03:31 PM

But I saw on social networking sites/blog many keris enthusiast which is likely from Singapore/Malaysia sometime post really nice contemporary Keris Semenanjung

As for power tools, we really have to compromise (more result oriented). I know in the ideal world it is nice to know that our collection is fully handcrafted but for today economy it is difficult for the artist to survive just to rely on fully handcrafted piece of art which take longer to accomplish not to mention for example good day to work, pauses between work, ideal work hour etc etc if we are to follow the traditional path. Moreover, values and the planet and it's surrounding which the artist live is rapidly changing, so his need and inspiration. They understand that collectors are mostly towards antique pieces/pay good money for antique, which is one of the contra-productive aspect on contemporary art. Who knows that in earlier few centuries things are the other way around. I agree about degradation of skill, but someone with good knowledge/basic skill on how to make one item only need to see enough examples and stimulus/support to achieve better quality piece of art. But most of their time are not spent on study, so I guess it is our responsibility on approaching and passing this. Let us ask our self for example how many time we commissioned new keris or it's fittings directly to the artist? Well not so many artist around and geographical barrier as well as amount to pay for newly commissioned job will likely exceed what we are willing to pay. In 21st century mostly anything are ready to wear. How many time we are today into buying fabric and bring it to tailor? Ready to wear clothing are abundance in the market, more selection and affordable. If we are commissioning a new work, we cannot see how it like until it finish, the result might be disappointing and we are rarely into buying this risk.

Just my two rupiahs...

tunggulametung · 26th November 2010, 04:08 PM

(Without experience, enough skill and proper tools) I once decided to make my own buntut without power tools which can be commissioned for small amount of money and will likely be done in one or two days, almost surely with power tools. At first I can't stop doing it because like what many artist has gone trough I guess, the semangat, the more powerful spirit is working and my hands are nothing but medium, but then... this job has take long hour and I tell you it hurt your palm

, I put it aside looking for better days to continue (excuses). Looks not a prime material, should I cut another part of the horn and start all over again?

A. G. Maisey · 26th November 2010, 08:50 PM

Tunnggulametung is right.

Handwork takes time.

Working with all traditional hand tools, it will take a skilled craftsman about 100 to 115 hours to carve a blade of simple dhapur that carries pamor.

That equates to about 12 to 14 eight hour days.

If the skilled craftsman uses power tools the time used decreases dramatically and can drop to only around three days, or even less.

Then there is the forge work.

If good quality modern mild steel is used and commercially produced nickel, or some other modern, clean contrasting material, no washing of the material is required, ie, repeated welding and folding to remove impurities.

Working with one striker and a forge of European design, and starting from scratch, a competent smith can produce a forging to carve a keris from in under two 8 hour days. That forging would have a random mlumah pamor and would be for a straight keris.

However, if the material is wrought iron, and meteorite, or some other material that requires extensive cleaning before use, if the forge is of traditional Javanese/Balinese design, if the pamor is anything other than a simple mlumah motif, the time used multiplies exponentially, and the possibility of failure increases exponentially.

Then there is the cost of teak charcoal, which is expensive, and the cost of tools --- a file only stays sharp for so long.

Now, let us add in the esoteric requirements for a traditional keris, which will involve a number of slametans (offerings) at various stages, and various very strict requirements for how and when the work is carried out.

You could easily be looking at six months for a 100% genuine, traditionally made keris blade.

Who is prepared to pay the cost of six months of a man's life, for a keris blade ?

Even for a blade of simple dhapur and pamor, made with power tools, you are still looking at roughly a week's work for a skilled craftsman to produce a simple keris blade.

Now consider the complete keris.

The wrongkos are always 100% handwork with hand tools.

The jejerans are always 100% handwork with hand tools --- this applies to wood, but if ivory or other hard materials are used, power tools are used in the work.

The mendak is 100% handwork with hand tools.

An embossed pendok is all handwork with punches, and an engraved pendok is engraved with gravers ( like small chisels) and a hammer.

The material for a good quality silver pendok starts as granules that are melted into a small ingot; this ingot is then hammered out to a fan shape prior to being wrapped around a mandrel and the joint silver soldered.

The edge where the joint is made has been left thicker to accept the soldering.

How much thicker? Between five and twelve blows of the hammer --- counted over the three days it takes to forge out the ingot to a fan shape. A good quality silver pendok takes about 5 or 6 days to make, before any engraving or embossing is done.

Yes, "keris like objects" do exist.

In Central Jawa we can find these in stores that sell traditional clothing. The KLO has a blade of flat iron whose only purpose is to hold the very poor quality wrongko and jejeran together.

In Bali we used to be able to find KLO's in the tourist souvenir shops, these also had blades of flat iron, often with an artificially etched pamor pattern, but the wrongkos and handles were very often good quality carvings. I have not seen these Balinese KLO's for many years.

The fact of the matter is that modern keris production in Indonesia is directed at the local market in Indonesia:- low quality modern production fills the ongoing need for local people to own a keris; high quality modern production is directed at the local demand for collectors and connoisseurs of the keris as art, but it fails to fill that demand.

It fails to fill it because the very best work of the very best craftsmen is always insufficient to meet the demand. In fact, the very best work of the very best men is really only available to a very select circle of buyers. It is seldom seen outside a tight circle of connoisseurs and dealers.

In the opinion of many Javanese art connoisseurs, the keris is the highest expression of the Javanese plastic arts.

The original post that generated this post of mine was directed at the situation in Malaysia. I have no knowledge of this situation, and my comments do not relate to Malaysia, they do relate directly to the current situation in Indonesia.

26th November 2010, 04:08 PM	#8
tunggulametung Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 238	(Without experience, enough skill and proper tools) I once decided to make my own buntut without power tools which can be commissioned for small amount of money and will likely be done in one or two days, almost surely with power tools. At first I can't stop doing it because like what many artist has gone trough I guess, the semangat, the more powerful spirit is working and my hands are nothing but medium, but then... this job has take long hour and I tell you it hurt your palm , I put it aside looking for better days to continue (excuses). Looks not a prime material, should I cut another part of the horn and start all over again? Attached Images

10th November 2010, 12:56 PM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	I agree that this keris is not contemporary. The smiths in Malaysia has lost the ability to produce anything even close to this now. It's a beautiful keris, and age is one thing we cannot fault it on; it will age nicely.

11th November 2010, 07:12 AM	#3
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	I see new kerises from the North, but they are just KLOs made with power tools from metal blanks. Haven't seen a really good quality new keris from the area yet. If there are, I would be most happy for the future of Malay kerises!

12th November 2010, 03:23 AM	#4
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Don't spend too much time in this forum, but the thread title intrigued me. David, that's one stunning photograph and you are correct in that it would make for an eye-catching cover.

26th November 2010, 03:31 PM	#7
tunggulametung Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 238	But I saw on social networking sites/blog many keris enthusiast which is likely from Singapore/Malaysia sometime post really nice contemporary Keris Semenanjung As for power tools, we really have to compromise (more result oriented). I know in the ideal world it is nice to know that our collection is fully handcrafted but for today economy it is difficult for the artist to survive just to rely on fully handcrafted piece of art which take longer to accomplish not to mention for example good day to work, pauses between work, ideal work hour etc etc if we are to follow the traditional path. Moreover, values and the planet and it's surrounding which the artist live is rapidly changing, so his need and inspiration. They understand that collectors are mostly towards antique pieces/pay good money for antique, which is one of the contra-productive aspect on contemporary art. Who knows that in earlier few centuries things are the other way around. I agree about degradation of skill, but someone with good knowledge/basic skill on how to make one item only need to see enough examples and stimulus/support to achieve better quality piece of art. But most of their time are not spent on study, so I guess it is our responsibility on approaching and passing this. Let us ask our self for example how many time we commissioned new keris or it's fittings directly to the artist? Well not so many artist around and geographical barrier as well as amount to pay for newly commissioned job will likely exceed what we are willing to pay. In 21st century mostly anything are ready to wear. How many time we are today into buying fabric and bring it to tailor? Ready to wear clothing are abundance in the market, more selection and affordable. If we are commissioning a new work, we cannot see how it like until it finish, the result might be disappointing and we are rarely into buying this risk. Just my two rupiahs...

26th November 2010, 08:50 PM	#9
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Tunnggulametung is right. Handwork takes time. Working with all traditional hand tools, it will take a skilled craftsman about 100 to 115 hours to carve a blade of simple dhapur that carries pamor. That equates to about 12 to 14 eight hour days. If the skilled craftsman uses power tools the time used decreases dramatically and can drop to only around three days, or even less. Then there is the forge work. If good quality modern mild steel is used and commercially produced nickel, or some other modern, clean contrasting material, no washing of the material is required, ie, repeated welding and folding to remove impurities. Working with one striker and a forge of European design, and starting from scratch, a competent smith can produce a forging to carve a keris from in under two 8 hour days. That forging would have a random mlumah pamor and would be for a straight keris. However, if the material is wrought iron, and meteorite, or some other material that requires extensive cleaning before use, if the forge is of traditional Javanese/Balinese design, if the pamor is anything other than a simple mlumah motif, the time used multiplies exponentially, and the possibility of failure increases exponentially. Then there is the cost of teak charcoal, which is expensive, and the cost of tools --- a file only stays sharp for so long. Now, let us add in the esoteric requirements for a traditional keris, which will involve a number of slametans (offerings) at various stages, and various very strict requirements for how and when the work is carried out. You could easily be looking at six months for a 100% genuine, traditionally made keris blade. Who is prepared to pay the cost of six months of a man's life, for a keris blade ? Even for a blade of simple dhapur and pamor, made with power tools, you are still looking at roughly a week's work for a skilled craftsman to produce a simple keris blade. Now consider the complete keris. The wrongkos are always 100% handwork with hand tools. The jejerans are always 100% handwork with hand tools --- this applies to wood, but if ivory or other hard materials are used, power tools are used in the work. The mendak is 100% handwork with hand tools. An embossed pendok is all handwork with punches, and an engraved pendok is engraved with gravers ( like small chisels) and a hammer. The material for a good quality silver pendok starts as granules that are melted into a small ingot; this ingot is then hammered out to a fan shape prior to being wrapped around a mandrel and the joint silver soldered. The edge where the joint is made has been left thicker to accept the soldering. How much thicker? Between five and twelve blows of the hammer --- counted over the three days it takes to forge out the ingot to a fan shape. A good quality silver pendok takes about 5 or 6 days to make, before any engraving or embossing is done. Yes, "keris like objects" do exist. In Central Jawa we can find these in stores that sell traditional clothing. The KLO has a blade of flat iron whose only purpose is to hold the very poor quality wrongko and jejeran together. In Bali we used to be able to find KLO's in the tourist souvenir shops, these also had blades of flat iron, often with an artificially etched pamor pattern, but the wrongkos and handles were very often good quality carvings. I have not seen these Balinese KLO's for many years. The fact of the matter is that modern keris production in Indonesia is directed at the local market in Indonesia:- low quality modern production fills the ongoing need for local people to own a keris; high quality modern production is directed at the local demand for collectors and connoisseurs of the keris as art, but it fails to fill that demand. It fails to fill it because the very best work of the very best craftsmen is always insufficient to meet the demand. In fact, the very best work of the very best men is really only available to a very select circle of buyers. It is seldom seen outside a tight circle of connoisseurs and dealers. In the opinion of many Javanese art connoisseurs, the keris is the highest expression of the Javanese plastic arts. The original post that generated this post of mine was directed at the situation in Malaysia. I have no knowledge of this situation, and my comments do not relate to Malaysia, they do relate directly to the current situation in Indonesia.