E. Java or Lombok keris blade?

RobT · 28th January 2008, 03:15 AM

To A. G. Maisey,
I feel like Watson. How the deuce did you know that Holmes?! I compared the hilt on my keris side by side to a bandolan hilt that I am certain is Balinese and for sure the one on the keris in question is shorter and stumpier than its Balinese counterpart. That such a hilt type exists is very good to know in of itself but in this context it also serves to resolve why the wranka looked Javanese, the hilt Balinese and yet the wood of both matched so closely as to indicate they were created en suite.
The blade to sheath fit is perfect and therefore is either a remarkable bit of serendipity or a pretty strong argument for the dress having been made for the blade. I will go out on a limb and say that if we couple the likelihood of an en suite hilt and wranka with the blade and sheath fit, it makes a Javanese made blade with some Balinese features plausible, no?
The only sticky point is the pendok. It fits the gandar perfectly and the gandar is roughened as I believe is common for a pendok bunton. Perhaps the original gandar was modified or replaced to accept the current pendok?
As i mentioned in my earlier post, the uwer isn't original to the piece. It is as you said, new. Could you tell me what type of mendak would be appropriate to this type of hilt or would the uwer still be ok?
I really thank you for your input. Not only have you added to my knowledge, you have also put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Sincerely,
RobT

A. G. Maisey · 28th January 2008, 04:54 AM

With respect to the blade, blades tend to be made in accordance with the type that dominates in the area where they are made. Keris makers in, say, Tuban on Jawa's north coast did not make blades that looked like blades from Central Jawa. Same with this one of yours. To be sure I'd want to go through the rigmarole I outlined previously, but taking into account the additional information you have just given, and if the hilt is the type I described, I think you've probably got a Blambangan keris, far eastern tip of Jawa. The pendok is a ringin. It is probable that the original gandar rotted and needed replacement, and the best they could do was a pendok.

I say "Blambangan", because Blambangan blades, also Bantam blades, and the typical big Bali blades all share certain characteristics, one of which is the blumbangan---don't get confused by the blum and the blam:- the blumbangan is the picitan, Blambangan is a place.

As to a mendak, well, I don't really know. The keris of this type that I have seen in original condition have never had either mendak or uwer, they've been just the handle with nothing.But that is also true of the majority of old Balinese keris I have seen in unrestored condition.

RobT · 29th January 2008, 02:58 AM

To A. G. Maisey,
Your idea that the addition of a pendok was a quick (and relatively cheap) fix for a rotting gandar is supported by: 1) the figure in the wood on the front of the gandar matches the wranka and 2) a good amount of the bottom of the gandar is missing. I would imagine a replacement spalted gandar to match the wranka would cost a pretty penny and there would be the difficulty of color match to contend with also. The owner probably figured the pendok would do for a time, perhaps until finances allowed it to be replaced properly. All that being said, I really like my one and only Blambangan and I thank you very much for the information that has allowed me (with your caveats about certainty in mind) to identify it.
Sincerely,
RobT

28th January 2008, 03:15 AM	#1
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 566	Wow To A. G. Maisey, I feel like Watson. How the deuce did you know that Holmes?! I compared the hilt on my keris side by side to a bandolan hilt that I am certain is Balinese and for sure the one on the keris in question is shorter and stumpier than its Balinese counterpart. That such a hilt type exists is very good to know in of itself but in this context it also serves to resolve why the wranka looked Javanese, the hilt Balinese and yet the wood of both matched so closely as to indicate they were created en suite. The blade to sheath fit is perfect and therefore is either a remarkable bit of serendipity or a pretty strong argument for the dress having been made for the blade. I will go out on a limb and say that if we couple the likelihood of an en suite hilt and wranka with the blade and sheath fit, it makes a Javanese made blade with some Balinese features plausible, no? The only sticky point is the pendok. It fits the gandar perfectly and the gandar is roughened as I believe is common for a pendok bunton. Perhaps the original gandar was modified or replaced to accept the current pendok? As i mentioned in my earlier post, the uwer isn't original to the piece. It is as you said, new. Could you tell me what type of mendak would be appropriate to this type of hilt or would the uwer still be ok? I really thank you for your input. Not only have you added to my knowledge, you have also put the pieces of the puzzle together. Sincerely, RobT Last edited by RobT; 28th January 2008 at 03:16 AM. Reason: typo

29th January 2008, 02:58 AM	#3
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 566	It all adds up now To A. G. Maisey, Your idea that the addition of a pendok was a quick (and relatively cheap) fix for a rotting gandar is supported by: 1) the figure in the wood on the front of the gandar matches the wranka and 2) a good amount of the bottom of the gandar is missing. I would imagine a replacement spalted gandar to match the wranka would cost a pretty penny and there would be the difficulty of color match to contend with also. The owner probably figured the pendok would do for a time, perhaps until finances allowed it to be replaced properly. All that being said, I really like my one and only Blambangan and I thank you very much for the information that has allowed me (with your caveats about certainty in mind) to identify it. Sincerely, RobT

28th January 2008, 04:54 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,056	With respect to the blade, blades tend to be made in accordance with the type that dominates in the area where they are made. Keris makers in, say, Tuban on Jawa's north coast did not make blades that looked like blades from Central Jawa. Same with this one of yours. To be sure I'd want to go through the rigmarole I outlined previously, but taking into account the additional information you have just given, and if the hilt is the type I described, I think you've probably got a Blambangan keris, far eastern tip of Jawa. The pendok is a ringin. It is probable that the original gandar rotted and needed replacement, and the best they could do was a pendok. I say "Blambangan", because Blambangan blades, also Bantam blades, and the typical big Bali blades all share certain characteristics, one of which is the blumbangan---don't get confused by the blum and the blam:- the blumbangan is the picitan, Blambangan is a place. As to a mendak, well, I don't really know. The keris of this type that I have seen in original condition have never had either mendak or uwer, they've been just the handle with nothing.But that is also true of the majority of old Balinese keris I have seen in unrestored condition.