Spear, Sumatra or Java?

kai · 22nd March 2020, 07:53 PM

Hello Tim,

Very nice spear, indeed!

The methuk seems separate? I'd lean towards the Jawa/Bali nexus.

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 23rd March 2020, 04:28 AM

Of the 3, this one is my favorite!

Not helpful but honest.........

Sajen · 23rd March 2020, 10:11 AM

Hello Tim,

Very nice spears you have acquired!

Like Kai I would go for Java or Bali for this one.

Regards,
Detlef

A. G. Maisey · 23rd March 2020, 11:30 AM

No, not Bali, Jawa, I think probably Surakarta but I want check a reference.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd March 2020, 10:08 PM

Tim, are you able to provide photos of both ends of the shaft so that we can see the form and detail of the ferrule and butt, and a full length photo of the tombak?

Loedjoe · 25th March 2020, 03:25 PM

Thank you all for your kind comments.

It would be marvellous if it can be assigned to somewhere specific, like Surakarta.

Alan, the attached new pictures are the best I can manage at the moment; I hope there will be just enough for people to see.

A. G. Maisey · 25th March 2020, 09:37 PM

Thank you Tim.

The metuk of this spear does seem to be Surakarta, the kinatah work appears to be of a quality that would permit a Surakarta origin, as does the pamor work, however, the the garap of the blade is not in my opinion able to be attributed to Surakarta, and the decorative motif is unlike any Surakarta work I have ever seen.

The landeyan is not in even the smallest degree similar to the style of landeyan used on a Surakarta tombak. It is usual for a Surakarta landeyan to swell in the middle and taper to each end, this landeyan does not. A Surakarta landeyan will normally have a brongsong or sopal (a wrapping or tube that functions as a ferrule), and a tunjung of metal (a tunjung is the butt cover). This landeyan does not have a metal tunjung, but the presence of the metal brongsong, which is of a style that would permit a Surakarta attribution, indicates that it should have a tunjung. My feeling is that this landeyan is a European made replacement.

I'm sorry, but I cannot attribute this spear to any origin with any certainty.

I have tried to crop & process the scabbard from this image, in order to see if I can attribute it to a Javanese origin, but the base image is too small to permit this.

EDIT

This landeyan has some rotan wrapping, so maybe it is not of European manufacture, but rather it is a landeyan from a different source that has been married to this brongsong and then fitted to the tombak.

Kubur · 28th March 2020, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loedjoe

Thank you all for your kind comments.

It would be marvellous if it can be assigned to somewhere specific, like Surakarta.

Alan, the attached new pictures are the best I can manage at the moment; I hope there will be just enough for people to see.

Very nice curtain poles

25th March 2020, 03:25 PM	#6
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	Thank you all for your kind comments. It would be marvellous if it can be assigned to somewhere specific, like Surakarta. Alan, the attached new pictures are the best I can manage at the moment; I hope there will be just enough for people to see. Attached Images

25th March 2020, 09:37 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Thank you Tim. The metuk of this spear does seem to be Surakarta, the kinatah work appears to be of a quality that would permit a Surakarta origin, as does the pamor work, however, the the garap of the blade is not in my opinion able to be attributed to Surakarta, and the decorative motif is unlike any Surakarta work I have ever seen. The landeyan is not in even the smallest degree similar to the style of landeyan used on a Surakarta tombak. It is usual for a Surakarta landeyan to swell in the middle and taper to each end, this landeyan does not. A Surakarta landeyan will normally have a brongsong or sopal (a wrapping or tube that functions as a ferrule), and a tunjung of metal (a tunjung is the butt cover). This landeyan does not have a metal tunjung, but the presence of the metal brongsong, which is of a style that would permit a Surakarta attribution, indicates that it should have a tunjung. My feeling is that this landeyan is a European made replacement. I'm sorry, but I cannot attribute this spear to any origin with any certainty. I have tried to crop & process the scabbard from this image, in order to see if I can attribute it to a Javanese origin, but the base image is too small to permit this. EDIT This landeyan has some rotan wrapping, so maybe it is not of European manufacture, but rather it is a landeyan from a different source that has been married to this brongsong and then fitted to the tombak. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 25th March 2020 at 09:52 PM.

22nd March 2020, 07:53 PM	#1
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Hello Tim, Very nice spear, indeed! The methuk seems separate? I'd lean towards the Jawa/Bali nexus. Regards, Kai

23rd March 2020, 04:28 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Of the 3, this one is my favorite! Not helpful but honest.........

23rd March 2020, 10:11 AM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Hello Tim, Very nice spears you have acquired! Like Kai I would go for Java or Bali for this one. Regards, Detlef

23rd March 2020, 11:30 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	No, not Bali, Jawa, I think probably Surakarta but I want check a reference.

23rd March 2020, 10:08 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Tim, are you able to provide photos of both ends of the shaft so that we can see the form and detail of the ferrule and butt, and a full length photo of the tombak?