Keris Holders

[Rick]

Originally Posted by cecas24

Thanks for your response Rick!
That Hanuman sculpture is fascinating. For my appendix, do you mind giving me your location (city, state) as a collector who owns holders?
Also, did you get your holders from anywhere in the states or did you order from overseas?

Overseas except for Hanuman who came from an eBay Seller in the U.S. .

Location ?
You'll have to look up my coordinates; they're listed .

I have another Javan keris board; I'll try to hunt up a picture .

[A. G. Maisey]

Hanuman

[A. G. Maisey]

A bhuta

[A. G. Maisey]

The Demon Frog.

Representing?

Your guess is as good as mine.

[A. G. Maisey]

Twalen and Mwerdah.

[David]

Hi Cecas, welcome to the forum. You thesis sounds very interesting. I hope that once it is finished you will be able to prvide a link where we can all read it.
I have 5 of these Bali style keris holders. Three of them are very new, but nicely carved little bald men with beautific smiles on their face (buddha?) that are very similar except for their body positions. Probably by the same artist or "family" of artists. I also have a Hanuman that might be from the 70s or 80s (hard to tell age on these) and an unidentifiedcrouching fellow who i quite like, probably about the same age. When i get a chance i will see if i can photograph them.
I also display with a few different ploncons and blawongs.
BTW, please don't take this personally as i am sure your intentions are sincere, but i personally don't think it a very good idea for collectors with collections of any worth to give out their names and locations. The internet has very big ears and you might be surprised where your information might end up.

[cecas24]

David, In response to,
BTW, please don't take this personally as i am sure your intentions are sincere, but i personally don't think it a very good idea for collectors with collections of any worth to give out their names and locations. The internet has very big ears and you might be surprised where your information might end up.

Completely understood! For those worried about your privacy, I still maintain that you do not have to give your name- just a location(and not a specific address- if you want to just throw out a state that is cool with me), number, and types of holders you own. Of course if you do not want to post it within a thread, (which is truly understandable-there are a bunch of crazies out in the world) please feel free to send it to me directly,
you can reach me at cecas24@aol.com or garfield08@juno.com.


I would love any images you have of your holders David, especially Hanuman. Comparing the various ones I have seen is very helpful in relation to artistic style.
Thanks so much!

[cecas24]

Ahh yes, to broad a question...
I will provide a few specific questions for holders in general to start.

#1) I was told by a collector in California that Balinese Kris holders always have square bottoms-Does anyone know this to be -False?

#2) For anyone who has traveled to Bali, have you observed specific deities used only for holders ? (not those produced for tourists, but rather traditional holders)

#3) Does anyone on this site own a holder dating further back than 1920? (Could I get a peek at it?)

#4) Last but not least, the question still remains, aside from the, Berman Museum, the Met, & Farrow Fine Art Gallery, does anyone know of a US Museum or Gallery that has holders in its collection?

In response to "The Demon Frog", I have discovered in many cases the frog is a substitute for the tuber of the lotus flower. Then when a kris is placed in the stand, the shaft is to represent the lotus stalk. From there I have read that the meaning is purely symbolic with references to the male and female principles, magically united and thus forming the origin of all creation.
A Holder very similar to this is found in the Gerog Tillman Collection at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam.
I also found this interesting little number on ebay-

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by cecas24

...#2) For anyone who has traveled to Bali, have you observed specific deities used only for holders ? (not those produced for tourists, but rather traditional holders)

#3) Does anyone on this site own a holder dating further back than 1920? (Could I get a peek at it?)

I am not sure whether this keris holder was dating further back than 1920 or not. This figure is probably Anggada -- ape-human in Ramayana story, the only son of Resi Subali and Dewi Tara -- and not the figure of Anoman...

About Anggada. When Anggada was still infant, his father Resi Subali was dead by the arrow of Ramawijaya -- during Subali and his brother Sugriwa were quarelling to get Dewi Tara (mother of Anggada). Anggada then grew up with Sugriwa, who later married to Dewi Tara.

This (ape-human) quarrels between two brothers (Subali vs Sugriwa) in Ramayana story, were also a "power struggle" to seize the reign in Guakiskenda -- Kingdom of the apes...