By a collector, for collectors

[Loedjoe]

I fully endorse the good things that others have written here about this book. One of the most valuable features, the section of about 80 full-page photographs of blades (showing both sides), showing and describing pamor patterns of Javanese blades, is modestly under the heading 'Appendix 4'.

[jagabuwana]

This book sure comes highly recommended and with high praise. I'm very new to studying the keris so I'm sure this would be as valuable to me as it seems to be to more learned and expert folk.

I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

[Jean]

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

Hello,
No, the book is not focusing on the forging process which is already described in several other books and I could not contribute more about the subject.
BTW all my copies have been sold-out but you may get one from Ethnographic Art Books (Leiden museum library).
Regards

[jagabuwana]

Originally Posted by Jean

Hello,
No, the book is not focusing on the forging process which is already described in several other books and I could not contribute more about the subject.
BTW all my copies have been sold-out but you may get one from Ethnographic Art Books (Leiden museum library).
Regards

Thank you, Jean. Leiden Museum are selling a copy on AbeBooks, and hopefully I can snatch it up before too long.

Originally Posted by Rick

You might like to have a look at THE WORLD OF THE JAVANESE KERIS by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom.
There are many pictures of the steps in the forging process in this book.

Thank you, Rick. This sounds like the one for me. I'm learning very quickly that these books aren't so easy to come by

What about "The Javanese Kris" by Groneman? I see that it has some 20 pages dedicated to the process of forging Javanese weapons. Between the two books, which has the most comprehensive detail on forging?

[Rick]

I don't have a copy of Groneman, nor have I looked into it. I believe other members who have both books might be more qualified to make a comparison.

[David]

Well, i have both books, but i'm not sure that makes be any more qualified since i don't actually have any real life experience forging keris. All i can say is that Groneman has perhaps dedicated more page space to the topic, but i am not convinced that he is necessary 100% accurate on the subject. The Solyoms, on the other hand, are known for having very good accuracy in their accounts. I do like the Groneman book and find much of it useful if not always completely correct.

[kai]

What about "The Javanese Kris" by Groneman? I see that it has some 20 pages dedicated to the process of forging Javanese weapons. Between the two books, which has the most comprehensive detail on forging?

What you're looking for regarding the keris forging process? There are also a bunch of videos online which may help to piecing together the puzzle...

Solyom & Solyom is a must-have for keris aficionados and you should be able to obtain it via an interlibrary loan. However, their section on forging is only 31 pics squeezed on 2 pages and less than 2 pages of text; valuable to get a basic idea of the process but little more I'm afraid.

Groneman set out to document the whole keris-making process and did so in quite some detail. There is apparently one step missing in the forging process which the empu managed to hide from Groneman. Maybe Alan could point that out if not sworn to secrecy? The English translation of Groneman is quite expensive (with lots of additional keris shown though); the original in German (Der Kris der Javaner; published as a series in 1910 to 1913) should also be readily available via libraries.

Regards,
Kai

[Marcokeris]

Also "De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indië vol 5" by Jasper and Pirngadie write about keris forging.... but the last new book edition was still in German language (?) and this is a real pity.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

This book sure comes highly recommended and with high praise. I'm very new to studying the keris so I'm sure this would be as valuable to me as it seems to be to more learned and expert folk.

I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

You might like to have a look at THE WORLD OF THE JAVANESE KERIS by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom.
There are many pictures of the steps in the forging process in this book.