Oops,

Don't forget, Raden... to post your "urubing damar"...

Gonjo,

I promise to send it.

I apologize if there will be delayed email sending. This morning, I got information that Indonesian Minister of Finance and Governor of Central Bank would visit Senegal started on next Sunday. Because of that, I forgot to take picture Urubing Damar before leaving home.

Now, I am still in the office. So this is my new scenario. I will take picture this late evening and upload by tomorrow afternoon (in the morning, there will be a meeting).

Keris description (based on my sense):
urubing damar, sepang, mojopahit, kelengan.
Tomorrow, I would like to ask (demand :D ) your opinion about it.

Usmen

Gonjo,

I have taken pictures. Hope I can post it tomorrow. Now, it is 23.45. Time to go to bed. Perhaps, the picture quality is not as good as if taken at noon because of the flash effect.

c u tomorrow,

Usmen

Gonjo,

here, I post "urubing dilah"

I request your comments

Usmen

Gonjo,

lanjutan

lanjutan

penutup

Usman I like this keris... but i like more the wood panel in the back :eek:

I think that might be because it is the wood panels that are in focus and not the keris itself. ;) :D
Usmen, this looks like an interesting keris. I have not seen a sepang with this "urubing damar" aspect before. But i am afraid it is hard to comment based on these photos. :shrug: :)

Yes, Raden...

Your pusakas, both are old. Noting the style, (although not knowing the iron or the blade), your "urubing dilah" or "urubing damar" (the flame?) supposed to be Majapahit's style -- thinner than Mataram style.

The keris' sheath, certainly is a type or an "iras" (one piece of wood). I suppose, tayuman wood (a kind of bush wood, I will search the name in Latin, later). The ukiran or handle (hilt -- according to David) is maybe "yudowinatan style" (Mas Boedi may correct me if I'm wrong), from "kemuning werut" wood (I will search the Latin word later).

Your tombak, (I suppose) also from Majapahit era. (probable the dhapur is "sigar jantung" or "a piece of heart" -- not correct English word maybe). The tombak sheath is maybe from cendana wood or sandal-wood. The "methuk" of tombak (I don't know the English word), ornamented with "kinatah sultan agungan" (special ornament from Sultan Agung era, 16th century).

From the form of your pusakas, I guess they were (your family's) heritage.. Please, forgive me Raden, if I'm wrong...

Sepang Luk by Sukamdi
 

Raden and All,

This is the "sepang luk" that was made by Sukamdi. Really, the material is a very very broken "sedayu" keris blade, reforged, and than reshaped like this. Formally a straight keris, very badly broken. Sukamdi also made the ganja, (ganjawulung type) with a ganja wilut (double curved). The ganja was made from other black iron. Such ganja called by common Javanese as "ganja susulan", or ganja which is made in the later time..

The hilt, is a gading hilt, Yogyakartanese and also the sheath. The scabbard (pendhok) is silver, and was made and crafted in Kota Gede, Yogyakarta. But the hilt was specially made by one of the best Yogyakartanese hilt carver for this time being, by Kamijo or more known as Gatot..

Ganja, a very nice keris.
a question: has the gading hilt also the hole (tusk nerve) on the top of the hilt?

Hilts by Kamijo
 

Dear Marco,

Here are the Yogyakartanese "gading" (ivory) hilts made by Kamijo or Gatot, and also two Solonese wooden hilts (with old "selut" style "banyumasan") made by him too. Now, Kamijo or Gatot is one of the best hilt carver in Yogyakarta.

Ganjawulung

Very beautiful. Thanks for sharing :D ... unfortunately, I do not own a keris worthy of such fittings. :(

Having such ivory hilt is a beauty. A compliment to a collection. Would love to have it one day...

I hope so, dear

Solonese (Surakarta) Sheath with Sunggingan
 

Dear All,

Disturbing you again with pictures... This time, a 20th century Solonese (Surakarta) sheath with "sunggingan" and a brand new keris tangguh 21th century of Madura. I hope you are not fed-up with pictures and pictures...

"Sunggingan" is a specific ornamenting tradition, usually for "wayang kulit" or puppet-leather. But during the older era of Solonese King Paku Buwono (especially during the reign of Paku Buwono X, 1893-1939), "sunggingan" also used in ornamenting the keris-warangka, or keris-sheath.

"The art of sunggingan" in keris-sheath developped in Solo, even until nowadays (but not in the neighbouring city of Yogyakarta). There are some kinds of motives in sheath-sunggingan, which usually bear the symbol (logo) of Paku Buwono X, and also the other motives such as "kala" or "raseksa" (giant's face) like these pictures below. This sheath's sunggingan, bear the motive of "modang" (I don't have the English word of this name), and was painted in my sheath by a Jakartanese (but Solonese origin), Mas Amien.

The red "pendhok" called "kemalo red". Kemalo, in the older Paku Buwono era, was not a common paint, but rather "traditional paint", natural paint. There are many colours of kemalo, such as red kemalo (for high rank officer), green kemalo (for 'penewu' officer, or middle rank officer). And there are also black kemalo for lower officer.

The Madurese keris, was made by the young keris-maker Zulhan (2006). Although the style of this blade is not true Madurese, but rather Mataramese and Solonese style. The dapur, is Sengkelat of 13 luks. It is pamorless, or in keris term we call it "kelengan" (all-black). The iron? It was from old and unused flatcar rail-track from an old sugar-cane field in East Java. Probably from 18th century, or even older...

Ganjawulung

Interesting metal used there ganjawulung.

Typical Javanese keris would show pitch black blade or uniform dark ash grey colour. Could be the different techniques or metal combination used here. Probably, the iron extraction method during the making of this keris is slightly different from the old traditional way. Or is it the pictures that turn out that way...

That's good sunggingan work!!

I used to like the work Pak Legiman in Pajang did (near Makam Haji), but his quality fell off years ago, as his eyes started to go. Back 15 or 20 years ago, a lot of people used to reckon he was the best ever.The old kemalo is actually natural lacquer. New kemalo can be anything that looks right. In super cheap pendoks it is often automobile lacquer.

There are some nice older sungging pendok in Musium Radyopustoko.

Yes Newsteel,

Madurese keris maker is usually "creative" in finding the metal to make their kerises. Some of their metals came from very old ship-anchor from the sea, or old flatcar rail-track. The pamor -- if the make pamor -- sometimes from unused nikel-rim of bicycle wheels! And they reforged all the metals like they forge traditional kerises. This "rail-track" keris is really look dark ash grey, and pretty cute... And Zulhan finished the keris very well. ...

Ganjawulung

Automobile Kemalo
 

You are right, Alan. Legiman was the best in sunggingan work at that time. Now hte is too old. And the best man in that work now is Laskam. Unfortunately, Laskam doesn't have time anymore to work on sunggingan. He is now too busy with his new business. Laskam, and also Mas Amien, once they had worked in the "sanggar" keris (kind of workshop) of Mr Haryono Guritno for a couple of years. But now, Amien also work independently -- still, in sunggingan work. Both of them, came from "wayang sunggingan". Laskam even a well-talented painter too.

About my "kemalo", actually that is not "real" kemalo, or traditional kemalo. That is just "automobile lacquer" kemalo.. But it is true the pendhok, formerly was "painted" with traditional green kemalo. Very badly damage, and I changed it with "red automobile lacquer kemalo"...

Ganjawulung