A good "ORIGINAL" example? :confused: (I'm thinking about III°Tammens book or about indonesian "Hulu Keris" book)

I found the 2 pictures of men wearing keris on KIT website and a keris on RMV website when I searched for Sumbawa.

I'm not so sure if all of these are unique Sumbawa hilt forms. Pls see 2 pictures of 2 Riau kerises with such hilts. One is from my collection. The other is a provenanced keris belonging to a sultan of the Riau-Lingga sultanate, so his keris definitely won't be a jimmy-rig mish-mash. I know of at least 2 more Riau kerises with such hilt forms in the collection of fellow collectors.

One more thing, I have seen Sulawesi kerises with such hilt forms.

With regards to Sumbawa kerises with toli-toli, I personally do not like them because they don't 'feel right'. They have this cookie-cutter look that I'm convinced they come out of one factory somewhere. :) Also, the old toli-toli are either fabric, or in the case of really high-end old pieces, weaved out of silver or gold, but not like a chain, more like a rope, like the one in the picture below.

But of course we know, anything is possible with sufficient patience and money. The toli-toli we see in the market is of course an fulfilling of mass market desires at a sufficiently low cost. :)

Hi Bluerf,
I think the keris with toli-toli that you have shown is the same as the one below or a very close cousin.
The one below is announced as coming from Riau-lingga Sumatera. Presently in the National Museum of Jakarta. This information is extracted from"Court Art of Indonesia" page 77 and 248.
Although magnificent, it is a bit too heavily loaded with gold and precious stones for my humble taste. And we do not see the blade !
This book contains a number of extraordinary art pieces, in every aspects of Indonesian arts.
At page 214 you can see a Sumbawa keris almost as heavily loaded with gold and precious stones and a particular toli-toli. second picture.

Thanks for giving us your knowlege
Michel

Thanks Kai Wee and Michel for these examples.
I think i would have guessed that second example from Court Arts as Sumatra as well. :shrug:

Yes, it is that keris. :) I took pictures secretly when the guard was not looking. :p

I didn't use flash, but had my tripod, hence I could only take from a certain angle.

The thing about the Riau-Lingga keris is that even though it was covered in gold and gems, somehow it looked tastefully done. This is the major difference with the new knock-offs being made today which looked just gaudy/tacky.

I just remembered - a similarly weaved toli-toli gold necklace from India about 3/4 the length of the toli-toli on the Riau-Lingga keris, with a modestly gemmed broach at the front was on sale in an antique shop in Singapore. I reckon the weaving was the exact same technique employed on the Riau-Lingga keris. Cost of the necklace - SGD15k. :)

If we were to consider the cost of the more elaborately gemmed broach, the top loop, gold sheath, pendoko, and hilt, and add on the provenance value, I think we have a stratospheric value for the Riau-Lingga keris. :)

Riau-Lingga Keris
 

Aha.. well, I've the privilege of taking it with the curator.. ;) like you, no flash but unfortunately no tripod either.. so have to depend of the studiness of the hand.. army shooting technique :D.. I do agree with you regarding the worksmanship.. here's the full blade.. (unfortunately it was placed in a transparent casing.. so here's the carpeting, as well).

Hi Michel,
That state keris, Tatarapa Sangajikai or Samparaja, is from Bima, East Sumbawa. Although looks similar, the form is different. The hilt, hilt cup, sheath's crosspiece, shaft and end-piece are different.. decorations and design are more elaborate.. the influence we can see in Central Sumatra in a simplier form, imho.

Thank you all for your open words and this lesson in learning!

sajen

Hello Mick,

just beautiful!