One of my favourite hilt forms

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Janggelan leaves (mesona palustris), could live almost everywhere in villages in Java, mostly in Magetan, Ponorogo and Pacitan in East Java. People here, they are used to plant this plantations deliberately, sun-dry the janggelan leaves, then sell them to certain buyers – to be used as raw material to make “cincau hitam” (black jelly) which have special aroma and taste, to be laid out on the dishes with natural “es buah” (fruit cocktail drink).

Why did javanese keris people create “janggelan hilts”? That’s still a question. The nature of janggelan hilts in reality, usually they are simple ornamented, and reflected as a simple hilt, for simple pusakas such as old betok, sombro betok etc... Many of them are made and carved on bones, but some are carved on elephant’s ivory too...

GANJAWULUNG

Hello Jimmy,

thank you for this very intersting and informative explanation. I have eat already cincau hitam but don't know what is was made from.

Regards,

Detlef

[Sajen]

Here you can see by the pesi holes that it is made from an animal tooth.

[BluErf]

Sharing my only example.

I just realized that I had been complaining for a long time that I don't have an old Madurese keris when I had this for more than a few years... and its quite nice, IMHO.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by BluErf

Sharing my only example.

I just realized that I had been complaining for a long time that I don't have an old Madurese keris when I had this for more than a few years... and its quite nice, IMHO.

Hello Kai Wee,

indeed a nice hilt. Elephant ivory?

Regards,

Detlef

[BluErf]

I think its marine ivory. The shape of the hilt follows the natural form of the tusk.

[Marcokeris]

Originally Posted by BluErf

Sharing my only example.

I just realized that I had been complaining for a long time that I don't have an old Madurese keris when I had this for more than a few years... and its quite nice, IMHO.

Rather a twin (but different base ).Probably the same carver...and material (?)

[Marcokeris]

Some others (horn and ivory)

[Jean]

Few other specimens with various designs (ivory & deer horn).
Regards

[VANDOO]

BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES AND THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A LOT OF VARIATION IN THE FORM. THE FIRST EXAMPLE AND SEVERAL OTHERS REMIND ME OF THE PINEAPPLE PATTERN.
TWO PICTURES OF SPERM WHALE TOOTH BASES. THE NATURAL BASE HAS A SHARP THIN SKIRT AND IS VERY PRONE TO START CRACKS WHEN THE TOOTH DRYS OUT. AN EXAMPLE OF A VICTORIAN SCRIMSHAWED TOOTH WITH THE SKIRT REMOVED AS IS USUAL FOR THE PERIOD. NOTE THE PATINA AND NUMBER OF CRACKS. PERHAPS IVORY HILTS ARE OILED ALONG WITH KERIS BLADES THUS PREVENTING SERIOUS CRACKS. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP ALL IVORY LIGHTLY OILED AND MARINE IVORY IS ESPECIALLY PRONE TO DRYING OUT AND CRACKING IN DRY ENVIRONMENTS.