Hierarchical ranks in the Surakarta keraton

[Jean]

So it is better to buy a white sunggingan scabbard in ladrang style than a black gayaman!

[Paul B.]

A kris for a Jajar based on the pendok (or the main black colour of the scabbard) but what if the pendok was a red one initially?

[A. G. Maisey]

Conflict in colour combinations can indicate a couple of things, it could be a case of an hereditary entitlement and an administrative or military entitlement for the same individual, or it could simply be a case of incorrect mixing by somebody who did not understand the rules.

[Paul B.]

Can we as collectors indicate which pendok is correct just by looking at the scabbard? Impossible I guess because of the possible entitlements.
Second: I have seen Sunggingan with bunton pendoks but was told they actually should wear a blewah. Is that the tumb of rules?

[A. G. Maisey]

The table in post #1 gives a clear indication of what is correct.

Where pendok colour varies from the table it is as per comment in post #5.

You can very easily know if a gandar was originally made for a blewah pendok because there will be traces of the blewah.

If we are talking only about sunggingans the motif will indicate if it should have been continued down the front of the gandar.

[Paul B.]

Sorry for my poor understanding but I still don't understand which scabbard should wear a certain (colour) pendok.
Post 1 is just a listing of what we can find.

As to the continuation of the motif: if I bunton pendok is added which is glued than it is of course hard to find out (but probably suspect!).

As to ukiran (apart from rojomolo motif):I have seen painted ukiran (sunggingan), ivory and the ones with selut. My impression is that anything can do as long as it shows a skillfully made ukiran.

[A. G. Maisey]

Paul, a reading of what I have posted will give you the answers you seek if you match the information I have provided.

As to the motif, nothing comes easy, you need to learn the form of the motifs, this requires study.

Yes, the hilt of a keris may be painted, but it is most certainly not necessarily a matter of "anything can do". Again, there is no magic formula, study and research is required and each case must be analysed separately in accordance with the available evidence.

EDIT

Here is the information already presented, but presented again in a different way:-

Royal family, including a pangeran (prince), a bupati (regent):- white or yellow wrongko ground + red pendok

Pangeran (prince):- gold wrongko ground + red pendok

Penewu ( a man in command of 1000 men):- sea blue wrongko ground + green pendok

Mentri (see post 2):- light green wrongko ground + green pendok

Lurah (see post 2):- natural wrongko ground or grey wrongko ground + dark grey pendok

Jajar (see post 2) :- black wrongko ground+ black pendok

All ranks at a funeral, or a commoner:- natural ground+ black pendok


Hilts can be painted en suite with the wrongko, but they can also be left as natural

Where an administrative position conflicts in rank with a military position, and/or an inherited position (FX:- a prince who is a penewu) the higher position will normally indicate the colour code, but it may not, the colour code in such an instance could be decided on a case by case basis, or a contextual basis.