Tajong for viewing pleasure and comments !
 

This Tajong is relatively short with total length of 52 cm. The hilt is made of Kenaong Merah with short blade Pandai Saras Luk 1. Appreciate what ever your kind comments are, TQ in advance. Mykeris.

Additional pics.
 

For your viewing pleasure.

Small sized, but every thing is in good proportion. The hilt is quite inspired, in my opinion. Adheres to the "rules" of what makes a tajong a tajong, but at the same time, bending them and reinterpreting in the carver's own style. A mark of a talented carver. :)

I believe the nose is a replacement. :) Nicely done.

Some of the surface of the tajong suggests that it may have been sanded down or polished to a certain extent. Too flat in some places. May have been an attempt to remove the old sapan.

More close-ups
 

More close-ups

Nice hilt, I don't think that it is inspired.
Can we see the complete blade please?

sajen

Pics on blade
 

Blade Length: Ganja to blade tip 36 cm

I suppose so.. with a sudden termination of carvings, when it reaches the nose.. it looks like a hybrid of the bangsa agong and a typical later form, perhaps.. :confused:

Hello Mykeris,

thank's for the pictures of the blade. The blade is curved but not one luk, my two cents worth estimation.;)

Regards,

sajen

Another blade
 

Thanks and sincerely noted. Another sample with blade 41 cm.

Yes, I see why you call the first one "1 luk" but normally the lowest luk is three.

Regards,

sajen

I don't know, from this last group of close-ups it looks like the grain and tone of the wood lines up pretty well. I would be seriously impressed if the nose on this tajong is a replacement. :shrug: :)

I've seen a few tajongs with such 'surgical' replacements, and I've always been impressed by how well the replacement is done! But of course, for this case, I am only guessing from the pics; perhaps Mykeris can look at it more closely and let us know? :)

Yes, that's why I say it is inspired. :) But it is undoubtedly done by somebody who is very familiar with the tajong.

Sajen - I think you may need to see more tajongs to notice the subtlety. :)

Yep, it's curved, but I don't know whether people up north really do consider this 1 luk. More likely straight. I had a keris from this region with a similar curved profile. Actually, come to think of it, the profile at the base of the blade is quite similar.

Notice the temper mark, which is a chevron shape. It has a name, which I cannot recall now.

I have little doubt that such surgical replacement can be done...but i would still be mightily impressed. :cool:
I'd love to know what you do call that chevron temper mark. I have a blade with a similar line. :)

During the course of the day, two words popped up... "pucuk rebung". :)

Additional sampling
 

Perhaps this would help.

Well, in these last 2 pics it does look like a replacement.
What are your thoughts with the hilt in hand Mykeris?

Hello BluErf,

you are correct, I know nearly nothing about Tajong keris. ;)
But I have learned and have been remembered from Mr. Maisey some time ago that it isn't possible to have "one luk" keris.

We cannot have a one luk keris; lowest count must be three.

You begin the count on the first luk above the gandik and finish the count on the same side of the blade, thus lowest number of luk can only be three.


But maybe I am wrong by this and this "rule" isn't valid by Tajong keris?
I know that you have a great experience by Tajong keris and I appreciate your knowledge very much, so please teach me by this.
Sincerely,

sajen

Any person, or group of people, can decide how they wish to refer to anything.

If a person, or group of people, wish to refer to a keris with no luk, but with a blade that is clearly lurus as "luk satu", well, so be it. That is their decision.

However, according to what I have been taught, there is no such thing as "luk satu".

One luk does not exist, and logically cannot exist.

But anybody at all is entitled to his own opinion.

I agree.... there's no such thing as luk satu....... and i believe it's just a recently concocted terminology......

Alan, do you think that the keris had undergone reshaping works / besutan esp at the sorsoran, to be precise, reshaping the worn out blade to display perfect ri pandan and other fret works?

I don't know.

The sorsoran does look a bit clumsy and rigid, but whether this is the maker's inadequacy, or whether it is evidence of somebody having a bit of a fiddle, I wouldn't like to say, especially from a photo.

Additional pics of blade.
 

Hi David, I ll comeback to our question later. Regards, Mykeris.

Thanks for uploading the clearer picture of the fret works, mykeris.

looking at the blade as whole, I think it is out of proportion, especially at the sorsoran..... it doesnt widen harmoniously as a keris blade (dapur pandai saras) should be...... since this blade is quite old and dressed in Tajong hulu and sheath, I dont think it's due to the empu's inadequacy - rather, my theory is, somebody may have fiddled the blade to look good (some times to fetch a higher price).... But of course, I am not too sure about this :shrug:

Thanks for your comments.
 

Thanks for all your comments. Through close magnifying, the hilt looks to me so natural to show that the nose is not a replacement. However, it looks so odd when the carving stops unfinished and thats raised many questions. Probably, its a trend or the carver's trade mark or etc...Bluerf, you raised strong points and you are so observant, keep it up friend, ...I always overlooked on details.

As for the blade, I totally agree with Alan but will leave it to the Universe to decide. p/s: I will be posting another one for your viewing pleasure. Regards, Mykeris.

Hi Sajen,

I wasn't talking about the keris blade; I was referring to the hilt being inspired. :)

Personally, I am not really bothered about the luk one or lurus thing, but I believe up North, they don't really refer to such blades as luk one. :)

Hi Mykeris,

The tajong hilt's nose has a metal sleeve? It seems so from the last 2 pics you have posted. I can't tell whether the nose is a replacement for sure, but just do note that sometimes, some of these old repairs are so perfectly fitted, that one can hardly notice! But of course, I'm not doubting your observation, especially with the aid of a magnifying glass. :)

Oh wait a minute, its a different tajong you're showing us. This one's rougher compared to the 1st one you showed us.

Yes, thank you Kai Wee, it was driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Mykeris, i don't understand why you did this. It has only caused confusion as i think most people assumed you were just showing more close-ups of the original tajong. :shrug: