keris handle PANJANG
 

Hello to e'body,

I have just purchased this Sumatran handle addressed to a Panjang keris. Still puzzled about the material, either bone or ivory. This type is quite rare and haven't come across many others.
Apart from my piece a very dark piece is attached with heavy wear and tear which is made of ivory for sure.
Lastly a printscreen attached from the Disk.

According Jensen ( information retrieved from his Disk) the provenance is the Karimunjawa islands but this information is not correct according others and more likely from the Karimun islands ( Riau islands).
The link to Durga is questionable too and maybe linked to a Raja? because of the crownlike topping. However the more common Tapah kuda shows a similar apex.

Any comment and / or start of sharing other Panjang handles welcome.

Nice hilt. I'm not sure that yours is quite as old as the book example you post. It's hard to tell from your images if yours is ivory or bone. Some close-ups might help.
I agree that Jensen's Durga link is a little questionable here. Perhaps others will have opinions on that.

Your statement above is not entirely correct.
Jensen quotes a reference where this provenance is claimed -
J.W. van Dapperen: Krisheften. Nederlandsch Indië Oud and Nieuw 1913, p 108.
To question it you have to go to the source of the claim.

Anyone here who has the article and can copy this page?

Michael

Thanks Michael. I don't own Jensen's KrisDisk so i'm glad you make mention of this here. Unfortunately i also don't have access to van Dapperen book either, but hopefully someone does. My internet searches were dead ends.

Well, it has just come to my attention that this hilt is currently up for auction on a Dutch site and you all know (or should know) what that means…
Thread closed!
Sorry KLUNGKLUNG, but this earns you a 2 week vacation. :(