Determine Front Side of The Pendok

[Sajen]

Another vote for B as front side! Very nice and beautiful pendok! And like Marco and Jean I vote for North coast Java but this is just my "feeling".

Regards,
Detlef

[Rick]

I get the floral side quite possibly being the front of this pendok.

What I'm interested in is the symbolism of the straight, almost pillar like embossing on what you guys think is the back.

Anyone have any thoughts about this feature?

[Sajen]

After a second look I think that A could be the front side. And I am sure that I have seen this what Rick decribe as pillar motive before, I need to check my collection for this.

[Sajen]

Have found it in a box where I keep a lot of different pendoks as spare parts. Not direct the same style but this pillars are present here as well. I ever have thought that my pendok is a Banyumas pendok but I could be wrong.

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

The motif on Bejo's pendok and the motif on Detlef's pendok are not the same, nor similar, but are philosophically related.

Detlef's pendok has a motif that symbolises emerging life. At the top there is a butterfly, or moth, if we track this butterfly down to the beginning of the motif at the tip of the pendok, we will see that the butterfly has experienced a journey from chrysalis to grown beast with spread wings. This is a statement of the way in which life grows, something of particular importance to an agrarian based society.

Bejo's motif is different. This one I do not know for certain, but a very highly regarded silver & gold smith who specialised in keris fittings and who lived in Solo once told me that in his opinion this angular upright was a stylization of the Kalpataru, the Tree of Life.

I am inclined to accept this as an accurate opinion, because if we look at the literature on Indonesian art motifs we frequently see the Kalpataru represented in a very sparse, angular fashion.

Detlef, I consider your pendok to be Banyumas. If we are both wrong, then a very great number of Javanese keris literate people will also be wrong.

Bejo's pendok I'm a bit hesitant about, my inclination is to think of it as quite recent, say within the last 50 years, and made in the style of Banyumas, but in Jogja.

Bejo, a question:- is your pendok silver, and if so, what is its weight?

[Bejo]

Thank you for all the opinions. That really help me

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Bejo, a question:- is your pendok silver, and if so, what is its weight?

Yes, the pendok is made from silver. Its weight 41 gram, 33.5 cm long.

Thank you,



Best regards,

Joe

[Sajen]

Hello Alan,

and what you think is the front side from Bejos pendok?

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Detlef, I consider your pendok to be Banyumas. If we are both wrong, then a very great number of Javanese keris literate people will also be wrong.

[rasdan]

Hi guys,

I don't know if it is normal for a North Coast Javanese pendok to have 2 design on each side with more or less similar level of workmanship. On Malay pendok usually the one on the back is less refined than the front.

Is side B motif Javanese? Probably one motif was made earlier than the other? Regarding the side with "pillar" design, if I am not mistaken, according to Alan, it is symbolic of renewal of life.

Here's a quote from Alan's previous catalogue, describing this motif "it shows the pupa of a dragonfly, progressing to its adult form. In Javanese symbolism, the dragonfly can be understood as a symbol related to the warrior, so the symbolism of this pendok is in fact closely related to extinction of, and renewal of life, a theme that is frequently found in Javanese art and thought."

If we look closely, there's a motif that starts from the bottom of the pendok "making it's" way to the top of the pendok and it's size and refinement grows as it reaches the top. I provide an example of this motif below.

[rasdan]

I think my post above was posted at the same time as Alan and Detlief. Sorry if there is any confusion.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thanks for that Rasdan.

The dragonfly is probably better, because of the warrior connotation, but I have seen this motif interpreted as butterfly/moth also.

[rasdan]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Thanks for that Rasdan.

The dragonfly is probably better, because of the warrior connotation, but I have seen this motif interpreted as butterfly/moth also.

No worries, Alan. Thanks for the other interpretations (moth/butterfly) as well. I have zero knowledge in this area and I think this area is rather neglected in keris research.