rencong hilt question

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Javagolok

I have also a question about rencongs!
Where these rencongs made of elephant fossile molar hilts made for use or just for touristic perposes?

Elephant fossil is not a standard material for rencongs, afaik. Your piece, doesn't have the look and feel of acehese aesthetics. The shape at the base of the blade is round instead of a hexagonal profile, the arc of the blade and the shape and design of the sheath... hmmm... perhaps a tourist piece (?)

[Bill M]

I have heard that while a few good Indonesian pieces (keris, as well) are made with fossil elephant molar for a wrongko, it is not a preferred material in Indonesia because it so easily damages the blade during removal and re-sheathing.

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Bill Marsh

I have heard that while a few good Indonesian pieces (keris, as well) are made with fossil elephant molar for a wrongko, it is not a preferred material in Indonesia because it so easily damages the blade during removal and re-sheathing.

For keris, it had been and is currently used as stated, I've seen old authentic examples as well(not touristy pieces). It's a nice material but fragile as stated. Some I've seen with repairs... made in the gayaman fashion and not the ladrang sheath form.

For rencong, I've yet to see real authentic old pieces, with fossil elephant molar.