Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Keris Warung Kopi

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 20th October 2013, 10:08 PM   #1
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default Unusual planar keris handles

Over the years I have collected some unusual and rare planar keris handles. I will show them in this thread time by time. Hope others will do the same. I hope that I will get by some further informations of origin.

I will start with a big bulky handle in the general shape of a Solo handle. The patras are carved in an unusual way. My guess that this handle is from East Java but I can be wrong by this. Every information about this handle is very welcome.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 20th October 2013, 10:19 PM   #2
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

The second one is so far I know a handle from Kartasura and called cateng. Kartasura was the capital of the Sultanate of Mataram between 1680-1755.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 20th October 2013, 10:37 PM   #3
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

I want to finish for the moment with this recent carved Yogya handle of unusual form.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 09:13 AM   #4
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
Over the years I have collected some unusual and rare planar keris handles. I will show them in this thread time by time. Hope others will do the same. I hope that I will get by some further informations of origin.

I will start with a big bulky handle in the general shape of a Solo handle. The patras are carved in an unusual way. My guess that this handle is from East Java but I can be wrong by this. Every information about this handle is very welcome.
Hi Detlef,
Interesting old hilt outside the Central Java pakem and I would also attribute it to East Java.
Regards
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 09:19 AM   #5
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

I recently acquired this planar hilt made from cast brass on a resin base and without patras and I wonder about its origin. It seems to have age and has few defects on the top side.
Regards
Attached Images
   
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 10:41 AM   #6
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jean
I recently acquired this planar hilt made from cast brass on a resin base and without patras and I wonder about its origin. It seems to have age and has few defects on the top side.
Regards

Hi Jean,

interesting hilt! I think I have seen similar wooden hilts.

Regards,

Detlef
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 01:48 PM   #7
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
Hi Jean,

interesting hilt! I think I have seen similar wooden hilts.

Regards,

Detlef
Hi Detlef,
Thanks, there is a relatively similar wooden hilt shown in Tammens Volume 3 page 190 and attributed to the Gayo of Northern Sumatra (Bawar hilt) but the base is quite different. I got it with a blade and a damaged warangka which may originate from Northern/ West Java so this is one possible origin.
Regards
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 05:09 PM   #8
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Here a Solo hilt with unusual carved lower patra.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 05:14 PM   #9
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Here a hilt I have shown in an other thread before. Silver sheet over resin, beautiful chased.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2013, 05:18 PM   #10
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

And here a possible Yogya handle carved from akar bahar.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd October 2013, 08:56 AM   #11
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
And here a possible Yogya handle carved from akar bahar.
Hi Detlef,
Very nice and peculiar hilt, the overall shape is in Nunggak Semi style from Yogya indeed but because of the carvings and filigree selut (recent?) I would rather attribute its origin to East Java , other opinions are welcome.
Regards
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd October 2013, 10:48 AM   #12
Gustav
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,192
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
And here a possible Yogya handle carved from akar bahar.
The carvings look more like Cirebon style (see chinese inspired "rocks and clouds" motif).

I doubt, the material is akar bahar, the surface seems to be quite porous in the first picture. I also think, such detailed carvings are not possible on akar bahar, becouse it is very hard and brittle.
Gustav is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd October 2013, 12:10 PM   #13
tunggulametung
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 238
Thumbs up

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
And here a possible Yogya handle carved from akar bahar.
Wow nice hilt Detlef. I also vote for Cirebon. If the material is dense, reddish (mature tree), and relatively heavy it might be sawo wood which I was told common for the area, it is a few wood that will allow detail carving (somewhat equal to kemuning). These days it is preffered material for heavy duty items such as drum stick or woodworking tools, carving mallet, hand plane etc.
tunggulametung is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd October 2013, 05:56 PM   #14
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Hello Jean,

thank you.
I doubt that the handle is from East Java, Gustav and Chandra may be correct with the Cirebon origin. And you are correct, the selut is recent.

Hello Gustav,

thank you for the hint to the Cirebon origin. I am very unsure about the used material. But the material isn't porous but chinky. And have a look to the last two pictures in down of the carved area, it look a little bit like burned plastic, maybe a sign for horn.

Hello Chandra,

thank you as well. You give the second vote for Cirebon. Like written in up, I am very unsure about the material. The colour is like akar bahar or like reddish horn but could be wood as well.

Regards,

Detlef
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2013, 03:52 AM   #15
tunggulametung
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 238
Default

Very old buffalo horn may look dry/lost of luster and show small cracks like this so if its unlike wood it may be buffalo horn, akar bahar is not likely as pointed out by Gustav.
tunggulametung is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th October 2013, 09:30 AM   #16
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
Hello Jean,

I doubt that the handle is from East Java, Gustav and Chandra may be correct with the Cirebon origin.
Detlef
I agree that the handle could originate from Cirebon but I could not find any piece with similar motifs in my archives, can somebody show us one?
Regards
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2013, 05:13 PM   #17
Marcokeris
Member
 
Marcokeris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Italy
Posts: 928
Default

another pic of an old cirebon handle with clouds pattern on the base
Attached Images
 
Marcokeris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2013, 05:15 PM   #18
Marcokeris
Member
 
Marcokeris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Italy
Posts: 928
Default

another unusual hilt
Attached Images
 
Marcokeris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2013, 06:08 PM   #19
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcokeris
another pic of an old cirebon handle with clouds pattern on the base

Hello Marco,

thank you very much for showing this example, the carvings in up resembles indeed the carvings of my hilt at the same area.

Regards,

Detlef
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2013, 06:11 PM   #20
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcokeris
another unusual hilt
Interesting hilt with the pierced through carvings at the patras.
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2013, 10:01 PM   #21
A. G. Maisey
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,675
Default

I've got quite a few planar hilts that I'd like to post to this thread, but at the moment I don't have time to do the pics.

Here is one that I do already have an image of.

New, sawo, cecekan krawangan, dikruwing.
Attached Images
 
A. G. Maisey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2013, 10:04 PM   #22
A. G. Maisey
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,675
Default

Oh yes, I almost forgot.

In respect of these hilts with motifs that can be interpreted as cloud motifs, may I suggest that Pekalongan is more likely as point of origin than Cirebon.

If I am correct in this possibility, it is also possible that these hilts, were made on the order of an ethnic Chinese person, rather than an ethnic Javanese.
A. G. Maisey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2013, 12:51 AM   #23
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
I've got quite a few planar hilts that I'd like to post to this thread, but at the moment I don't have time to do the pics.

Here is one that I do already have an image of.

New, sawo, cecekan krawangan, dikruwing.

Nice hilt Alan, please can you explain "dikruwing"?
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2013, 12:55 AM   #24
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
Oh yes, I almost forgot.

In respect of these hilts with motifs that can be interpreted as cloud motifs, may I suggest that Pekalongan is more likely as point of origin than Cirebon.

If I am correct in this possibility, it is also possible that these hilts, were made on the order of an ethnic Chinese person, rather than an ethnic Javanese.
Thank you for your thoughts about this both hilts. This would explain also the high age from both hilts. Mataram era, correct?

Regards,

Detlef

Last edited by Sajen; 30th October 2013 at 11:11 AM.
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2013, 12:59 AM   #25
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Not purely planar but I think this hilt fit in this thread.
Attached Images
   
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2013, 03:49 AM   #26
A. G. Maisey
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,675
Default

If you look carefully at the planes on the hilt I posted, you will see that these planes are not flat planes at all, but curved. This curved effect is called "kruwingan", because it has already been done the planes are now "dikruwing". Strictly speaking this word should only be used to describe this type of work in metal, for instance, in a keris the gulo milir is kruwingan work, but it is acceptable to use it to describe the same type of work in other mediums.

Regarding age of the hilts. I think you mean Mataram era?

Frankly I have no idea at all how old they are. Bearing in mind how quickly materials deteriorate in Jawa they could be 19th century if they left Jawa within the last 50 years or so.

The Mataram era is a pretty elastic description since the House of Mataram is still in power in both Solo and Jogja.
A. G. Maisey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2013, 11:21 AM   #27
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,410
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
If you look carefully at the planes on the hilt I posted, you will see that these planes are not flat planes at all, but curved. This curved effect is called "kruwingan", because it has already been done the planes are now "dikruwing". Strictly speaking this word should only be used to describe this type of work in metal, for instance, in a keris the gulo milir is kruwingan work, but it is acceptable to use it to describe the same type of work in other mediums.

Regarding age of the hilts. I think you mean Mataram era?

Frankly I have no idea at all how old they are. Bearing in mind how quickly materials deteriorate in Jawa they could be 19th century if they left Jawa within the last 50 years or so.

The Mataram era is a pretty elastic description since the House of Mataram is still in power in both Solo and Jogja.
Hello Alan,

thank you for explanation.

And yes, I have meant "era"!

Regards,

Detlef
Sajen is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 5th November 2013, 01:36 PM   #28
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

I already showed this one I think but it is one of my favourites
Regards
Attached Images
  
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 5th November 2013, 04:16 PM   #29
David
Keris forum moderator
 
David's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,012
Default

Oh Jean, i do so love this hilt. Thanks for showing it again. I think that even though this has clearly been carved out a a planar mold, so much figural carving has been done that we cannot call it a planar hilt anymore. It defies the very definition of planar. Still awfully beautiful though...
David is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 6th November 2013, 09:01 AM   #30
Jean
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
Default

Thanks David and yes, the planes on the front side have disappeared!
Jean is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:02 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.