Figural horn (possibly rhino) hilt

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Gustav

Thank you Detlef and Jean.

Alan, I will think about 1) and 2), yet I absolutely wouldn't like to answer the last one.

Today I received an e-mail with four pictures.

Post deleted.

[kai]

Folks, we have been through this already several times: From the pics supplied so far, there is no chance whatsoever to verify wether this hilt is made from rhino or waterbuffalo horn! We really need a close-up of a cross-section of the fibers, i. e. the top of the head or possibly the base of the hilt also.

We can argue about likelihoods but this never positively prooves anything for any given piece. Actually, the current pics make me feel albino water buffalo - I agree that the alternative is also plausible though...

Thanks a lot for those pics, Gustav! Could you please try to get additional ones? I also wouldn't mind better quality pics of the other parts of this keris...

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

Thanks a lot for those pics, Gustav! Could you please try to get additional ones? I also wouldn't mind better quality pics of the other parts of this keris...

Hello Kai,

here two more pictures from the auction.

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

here two more pictures from the auction.

Thanks! I was hoping for additional pics, better resolution (despite the auction pics being better than from many auction houses), from other angles, or after cleaning/warangan since Gustav may have the opportunity...

Regards,
Kai

[A. G. Maisey]

I don't know if I have any hilts like that Kai. I have never commissioned any, that much I do know, I tried to order a couple once, but I could not negotiate what I thought was a reasonable price, so I let it go.

I'm not at home at the moment, when I get back I'll have a look and see what I have that might be relevant to this discussion. I need to look through what I have, because I have far too many hilts to remember them all.

[kai]

I'll have a look and see what I have that might be relevant to this discussion. I need to look through what I have, because I have far too many hilts to remember them all.

Thanks, Alan, that would be kind!

Regards,
Kai

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

The materials is translucent on these pics so it definitely looks to be rhino horn.
Regards

Jean, i have both white and green buffalo horn that is also translucent. I don't believe we can use that as an indicator of rhino horn. Again, i am not trying to argue that this cannot be rhino, simple that we do not have the type of photographs yet that can provide any definitive answer to that question.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

Jean, i have both white and green buffalo horn that is also translucent. I don't believe we can use that as an indicator of rhino horn. Again, i am not trying to argue that this cannot be rhino, simple that we do not have the type of photographs yet that can provide any definitive answer to that question.

Hello David and Kai,
Could you please show us a hilt made from white or green buffalo horn and having a similar color to the one shown by Gustav?
Regards

[kai]

Hello Jean,

Sorry for the brisk comment. A search on the main forum will yield a bunch of threads covering the identification of horn.

Could you please show us a hilt made from white or green buffalo horn and having a similar color to the one shown by Gustav?

Here some examples from albino water buffalo:





(The greenish variants tend to be a bit darker, of course.)

Regards,
Kai

[Jean]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Jean,

Sorry for the brisk comment. A search on the main forum will yield a bunch of threads covering the identification of horn.
(The greenish variants tend to be a bit darker, of course.)

Regards,
Kai

Thank you Kai. I rarely look at the main forum so I did not see these pics. I agree that the identification is confusing although the color of the rhino horn seems darker (mid brown), and I am more familiar with the green horn which is quite different.
Regards