Keris Solo for comment

David Gallas · 20th June 2019, 07:01 AM

I'm learning a lot of this topic, also the majapahit blade topic. My interest about the keris is more cultural and historical....

Let me share some info, but it's only past over verbally. It cannot be fully proven.

The keris should be a gift from the keraton of Surakarta, somewhere in the second part of the 19th century. Given to an east Javanese dokter who was also Wedono. (Wedono is dialect for face)

I also thought that the blade was Tuban, just because of the feeling of the blade, i don't have that detailed knowledge about the keris.

The story goes that the blade was re-shaped in Solo by a Madurese empu, what gives it the east Javanese feeling. That's why lot's of east Javanese keris have mid Javanese infuence. Solo and Jogya originate from east Java and have lots of Madurese craftmans and is seen as original east Javanese.
You also see that on the east Javanese Wedono keris.

I didn't know about the gonjo, nor of the real origine of the blade before beeing reshaped...

A. G. Maisey · 20th June 2019, 08:05 AM

David, while it is true that one of the meanings of "wedono" (wedana, wadana) is "face" (kromo inggil for "rai"), that is not the meaning in this context. A wedono is the head of an administrative district.

The idea of re-shaping the blade and thus transmitting an East Javanese "feeling" is very wide of the mark. The blade may have been cleaned up in Solo, it may not have been, but by a Madurese Empu? Is there any Madurese empu anywhere? Plenty of Madurese pandai keris, in Madura around Sumenep, and some in Surabaya and Malang as well, but in Solo? News to me.

Still, the term "empu" is pretty loosely applied these days.

Solo & Jogja originate from East Jawa? The people who live there will be real pleased to hear that.

Lots of Madurese craftsmen in Jawa Tengah? The only Madurese I've met in Solo & Jogja have been Madurese keris runners.

David, whoever gave you this story needs to do just a little bit of fact checking.

The reason I was thinking East Jawa was simply because of what I could see. If I were to describe a typical East Javanese keris from around Surabaya-Malang, it would not look remotely like yours, but an old blade from the far East Coast of East Jawa, just opposite Bali, might look like yours.

Jean · 20th June 2019, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

David, while it is true that one of the meanings of "wedono" (wedana, wadana) is "face" (kromo inggil for "rai"), that is not the meaning in this context. A wedono is the head of an administrative district.

Thank you Alan, it makes more sense!

David,
I am very familiar with the type of story you were told ("kraton provenance"), I heard very similar ones for my own krisses purchased in the NL some years ago and learned to take it very cautiously....
Regards

20th June 2019, 07:01 AM	#1
David Gallas Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 24	I'm learning a lot of this topic, also the majapahit blade topic. My interest about the keris is more cultural and historical.... Let me share some info, but it's only past over verbally. It cannot be fully proven. The keris should be a gift from the keraton of Surakarta, somewhere in the second part of the 19th century. Given to an east Javanese dokter who was also Wedono. (Wedono is dialect for face) I also thought that the blade was Tuban, just because of the feeling of the blade, i don't have that detailed knowledge about the keris. The story goes that the blade was re-shaped in Solo by a Madurese empu, what gives it the east Javanese feeling. That's why lot's of east Javanese keris have mid Javanese infuence. Solo and Jogya originate from east Java and have lots of Madurese craftmans and is seen as original east Javanese. You also see that on the east Javanese Wedono keris. I didn't know about the gonjo, nor of the real origine of the blade before beeing reshaped...

20th June 2019, 08:05 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,736	David, while it is true that one of the meanings of "wedono" (wedana, wadana) is "face" (kromo inggil for "rai"), that is not the meaning in this context. A wedono is the head of an administrative district. The idea of re-shaping the blade and thus transmitting an East Javanese "feeling" is very wide of the mark. The blade may have been cleaned up in Solo, it may not have been, but by a Madurese Empu? Is there any Madurese empu anywhere? Plenty of Madurese pandai keris, in Madura around Sumenep, and some in Surabaya and Malang as well, but in Solo? News to me. Still, the term "empu" is pretty loosely applied these days. Solo & Jogja originate from East Jawa? The people who live there will be real pleased to hear that. Lots of Madurese craftsmen in Jawa Tengah? The only Madurese I've met in Solo & Jogja have been Madurese keris runners. David, whoever gave you this story needs to do just a little bit of fact checking. The reason I was thinking East Jawa was simply because of what I could see. If I were to describe a typical East Javanese keris from around Surabaya-Malang, it would not look remotely like yours, but an old blade from the far East Coast of East Jawa, just opposite Bali, might look like yours.