New Keris/Keris baru

A. G. Maisey · 1st June 2012, 03:09 PM

Short answer:- yes.

Whether one believes that tangguh is a true indication of real age, or whether one believes it is a classification that has a relationship with the passing of time, doesn't really matter, but one must have a knowledge and understanding of tangguh before one can adequately appraise a keris.

I don't know that it is a matter of "not reach minimum requirement"; I'd need to think about that and what it means, but it is certain that if one only understands, say, the Mataram Senopaten keris, one cannot adequately appraise either a Surakarta keris, or a Pajajaran keris, using the same guidelines.

When I wrote the lines on "superb craftsmanship etc" I had in mind certain recently produced keris that really are superb examples of art and metal carving, but in my opinion, and the opinions of some other purists, these works are not keris. Art, yes, maybe even great art, but keris? No.

1st June 2012, 03:09 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Short answer:- yes. Whether one believes that tangguh is a true indication of real age, or whether one believes it is a classification that has a relationship with the passing of time, doesn't really matter, but one must have a knowledge and understanding of tangguh before one can adequately appraise a keris. I don't know that it is a matter of "not reach minimum requirement"; I'd need to think about that and what it means, but it is certain that if one only understands, say, the Mataram Senopaten keris, one cannot adequately appraise either a Surakarta keris, or a Pajajaran keris, using the same guidelines. When I wrote the lines on "superb craftsmanship etc" I had in mind certain recently produced keris that really are superb examples of art and metal carving, but in my opinion, and the opinions of some other purists, these works are not keris. Art, yes, maybe even great art, but keris? No.