Could be a BREAKTROUGH book about Javanese keris in my posession

Radu Transylvanicus · 18th October 2006, 06:40 AM

Dear fellows,

First of all my apologies for being so late with this news but better later than never. As some of you may remember I was suppose to take a trip to south-east Indonesia. Well I did: Singapore, Bali and Java. Yes I did brought kerises and of course I will show off my two pieces but that’s not the most important thing.
My local friend, which I will call Mr. B., is a member on both of the kratons (palaces) of Surakarta (also known as Solo), the capital and eventually the embryo place of the whole keris culture. Breaking news to me so far is that I managed to obtain a xerox copy of the armory book, hand made and updated from late 1700’s I believe all the way to very late 1800’s.
Its a book of dhapurs and pamors in use by the royal empu’s, mostly kerises but some trisulas and tombaks as well. Does anyone know what I am talking about or have a similar copy of this? It has descriptions in both with Latin characters and Javanese Sanskrit. All handmade nothing printed with machine, true manuscript. Its a very large format book with life size drawings of tons of daggers. Is there anyone else in possession of this book. I went trough hell to get a copy of it and only after days of begging and being a pest, a friend smuggled a copy and made me a copy of his copy...
This might be something of extreme value in people on our circle, is there anyone there that knows what Im talking about?

Radu Transylvanicus · 18th October 2006, 06:44 AM

Oops, since I havent been here you guys seem to have dedicated a whole new space to the keris , should this be moved there?

Marcokeris · 18th October 2006, 08:25 AM

I saw a very large format Solo book (copy) in a keris' shop inside big market (pasar Beringhario) in Yogya. It was about tosan aji dapur and written also in old Jawa language. I didn't buy it because it was really too large (not possible to put the copy inside the baggage!!)

Andrew · 18th October 2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radu Transylvanicus

Oops, since I havent been here you guys seem to have dedicated a whole new space to the keris , should this be moved there?

Welcome back.

Rick · 18th October 2006, 03:43 PM

This sounds pretty exciting Radu !
Can you make it into a PDF file and host it somewhere ?

Welcome back from me also !

Rick
Looking forward to traveler's tales .

ariel · 18th October 2006, 07:10 PM

Radu, glad to have you back!
Any good Tuika in Sulavesi?

You should have brought some Krises to use them for mititei...

David · 18th October 2006, 08:12 PM

Welcome back Radu. Glad you had a great trip. I look forward to seeing the keris you bought.
As for this armory book you acquired, i wouldn't go so far as to say it is a breakthrough. These books are known and i'd be willing to bet that a couple of our members even have a versions. It is, however, something i would personally be VERY interested in seeing. If you do have a way of sharing it i am sure that many here would be grateful.
Ariel, it's nice to welcome your friend back, but "You should have brought some Krises to use them for mititei..."???
This is like telling someone that you should have brought some Yad back from Israel to use for shish-kabob. Not exactly a sensitive remark.

18th October 2006, 06:40 AM	#1
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	Could be a BREAKTROUGH book about Javanese keris in my posession Dear fellows, First of all my apologies for being so late with this news but better later than never. As some of you may remember I was suppose to take a trip to south-east Indonesia. Well I did: Singapore, Bali and Java. Yes I did brought kerises and of course I will show off my two pieces but that’s not the most important thing. My local friend, which I will call Mr. B., is a member on both of the kratons (palaces) of Surakarta (also known as Solo), the capital and eventually the embryo place of the whole keris culture. Breaking news to me so far is that I managed to obtain a xerox copy of the armory book, hand made and updated from late 1700’s I believe all the way to very late 1800’s. Its a book of dhapurs and pamors in use by the royal empu’s, mostly kerises but some trisulas and tombaks as well. Does anyone know what I am talking about or have a similar copy of this? It has descriptions in both with Latin characters and Javanese Sanskrit. All handmade nothing printed with machine, true manuscript. Its a very large format book with life size drawings of tons of daggers. Is there anyone else in possession of this book. I went trough hell to get a copy of it and only after days of begging and being a pest, a friend smuggled a copy and made me a copy of his copy... This might be something of extreme value in people on our circle, is there anyone there that knows what Im talking about?

18th October 2006, 06:44 AM	#2
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	Oops, since I havent been here you guys seem to have dedicated a whole new space to the keris , should this be moved there?

18th October 2006, 08:25 AM	#3
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	I saw a very large format Solo book (copy) in a keris' shop inside big market (pasar Beringhario) in Yogya. It was about tosan aji dapur and written also in old Jawa language. I didn't buy it because it was really too large (not possible to put the copy inside the baggage!!)

18th October 2006, 03:43 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,263	This sounds pretty exciting Radu ! Can you make it into a PDF file and host it somewhere ? Welcome back from me also ! Rick Looking forward to traveler's tales .

18th October 2006, 07:10 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Radu, glad to have you back! Any good Tuika in Sulavesi? You should have brought some Krises to use them for mititei...

18th October 2006, 08:12 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,029	Welcome back Radu. Glad you had a great trip. I look forward to seeing the keris you bought. As for this armory book you acquired, i wouldn't go so far as to say it is a breakthrough. These books are known and i'd be willing to bet that a couple of our members even have a versions. It is, however, something i would personally be VERY interested in seeing. If you do have a way of sharing it i am sure that many here would be grateful. Ariel, it's nice to welcome your friend back, but "You should have brought some Krises to use them for mititei..."??? This is like telling someone that you should have brought some Yad back from Israel to use for shish-kabob. Not exactly a sensitive remark.