NEW FORMS OF KERIS HILTS

[VANDOO]

I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL NEW FORMS OF KERIS HANDLES AVAILABLE CURRENTLY ON EBAY. I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH A DEPARTURE FROM TRADITIONAL FORMS AND WHEN THE KERIS WAS FIRST DEVELOPING I SUSPECT THERE WERE FEW FORMS OF HANDLE OR BLADE AVAILBLE.
NO DOUBT BLADE SHAPES, PARMORS, DESIGNS ON HANDLE AND SCABBARDS HAVE DEVELOPED TO WHERE THEY ARE TODAY FROM A SIMPLE BEGINNING.
MY QUESTION IS ARE THESE UNUSUAL NEW FORMS POPULAR WITH THE YOUNGER PEOPLE IN KERIS SOCIETY OR JUST NOVELTYS FOR COLLECTORS TO PURCHASE.
I AM CURRENTLY WATCHING A FEW AUCTIONS BY A EBAY SELLER AND WHEN THE AUCTIONS CLOSE I WILL TRY TO ADD A FEW PICTURES FOR EXAMPLES. IF YOU HAVE PICTURES OF ANY OF THE NEW FORMS FEEL FREE TO POST TO THIS TOPIC.
THIS RECENTLY CLOSED BUT SIMULAR EXAMPLES MAY BE FOR SALE??

THIS ONE IS INTERESTING IN THAT IT INCORPORATES DIVERSE DESIGNS AND FEATURES FROM QUITE A FEW SOURCES. I SEE A CARVED SKULL SUCH AS DAYAK OR TORAJA, A BUDDA AND HINDU DESIGNS ON THIS EXAMPLE AND IT STILL RETAINS SOME TRADITIONAL DESIGNS AS WELL AS REMAINING CLOSE TO A TRADITIONAL SHAPE.
HERE IS THE BASIC TRADITIONAL FORM THIS NEW HANDLE HAS CHANGED FROM FOR COMPARASON. THE SAME WOOD MAY HAVE BEEN USED ON BOTH HANDLES AS WELL?

[Rick]

Hi Barry,

This handle strikes me as pure fantasy .
Many modern carvers are just winging it these days; this is such an example IMO .

For Tourists ?
Seems to me like third rate work .

I doubt these fantastic variations such as this one have much basis in old
traditional forms .

Whatever sells and all that .
I couldn't speak for a Javanese collector ........

Rick

[A. G. Maisey]

Handles that depart from traditional forms possibly do have a place in modern keris art, after all these kemardikan keris have departed from traditional forms.

As new expressions of a traditional art, I guess I can grudgingly accept that when something ceases to grow it dies, goes rotten, and eventually disappears.

However --- if there is a departure from traditional forms, I would like to see at least some degree of finesse in execution of the new design. Just a touch of class would be nice.

[Rick]

Agree Alan, yet this piece seems way over the top IMHO .

No finesse shown there .

[David]

I see countless variations of these hilts that mostly seem based off the planar Javanese design. Many have skulls or snakes, sometimes in combination, or other animal forms worked into the design. Frankly i have an affinity for skulls and would like to eventually pick one of these up just for fun. I don't really take it seriously as a new keris hilt form and i'm pretty sure that the use of skulls and snakes is meant more to attract purchase from western collectors than any young members of keris society. I too would like to see some finesse added to the carvings, but thy seem to sell for $25-30 and you can't expect much for that. If it wasn't for the fact that the shipping costs more than the item on these i may have ordered one already just to add to my skull collection.
BTW, all of these seem to be coming from one seller in Jawa.
I also like to believe that keris art is still alive and therefore growing and developing. Here is an example of a new keris hilt which i love and think has a bit of the finesse these others are lacking.

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE NOT AS RECENT AS THE FIRST EXAMPLE.
(NEW) ONE IS ODD AND HAS GARUDA AND NAGA ON THE SAME HANDLE AND IS STYALIZED. I CAN'T TELL IF THEY ARE FIGHTING OR JUST THERE TOGETHER?
(OLD) ANOTHER LOOKS TO BE HANUMAN
(OLD) A BALINESE FRUIT BAT
(NEW) A CROCODILE

BALI AND LOMBOK HAVE ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAVE A WIDER MORE VARIED RANGE IN FORMS OF KERIS HILT. AND TEND TO FEATURE CLEARER REPRESENTATIONS OF THEIR SUBJECTS. NO DOUBT DUE TO HINDU BELIEF VERSUS ISLAMIC ONES FOR WHAT IS PROPER IN ART. ARE THE NEW FORMS LIKE THE FIRST EXAMPLE A BREAK FROM TRADITION IN JAVA OR PERHAPS MADE IN MADURA?

I AGREE BETTER WORKMANSHIP ON THESE NEW HILTS WOULD BE NICE AND PERHAPS IF THERE IS A GOOD MARKET FOR THE PRODUCT THE CARVING WILL IMPROVE BUT THE PRICES WILL LIKELY RISE AS WELL.