Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

BluErf · 12th June 2007, 01:39 AM

Dear everyone! I'm posting this message from beautiful Langkawi, where my seminar is held.

To your comments -

David - Unfortunately, Mr Nik Rashidee has just built a beautiful, large extension to his house, so I don't think he is thinking of moving anytime soon.

Battara: The pendoko is gold. It is an old one, with the traditional red stain (sepuhan merah). The picture may not show the red stain on the gold very well, but also because the red stain has worn off some. This pendoko is about as fine as it gets. The wire filigree work is very fine and well executed, and the telur ikan (fish eggs - the tiny gold beads) are numerous and carefully attached to the base frame. I don't know anyone who can do this quality of work now, but if there is one such craftsman, I would most certainly like to get in touch with him! Yep, the toe is ivory.

Newsteel: I don't have the piece with me in Langkawi, so I'd roughly estimate it at about 14-15inches. The blade is very thick and heavy. So Proportion-wise, this keris is a giant amongst other Minang kerises, which usually range between 8 - 12inches and are not so thick.

The hilt, pendoko and blade are original to each other. The hilt was attached to the blade with resin (fortunately), which prevented a previous owner from removing the pendoko. In fact, the previous owner broke the hilt trying to remove the pendoko. Luckily, the hilt could be glued back with strong wood glue. The hilt's wood is dark, but has a very deep chatoyance. It's beautiful. I keep it because the wood is great, the form is great, and most important of all, it protected the pendoko.

I can only imagine about the lost sheath and how beautiful it may have been.

This newly-made sheath is based on the example in walk-in-splendour, so I guess the form should be more or less appropriate to the Minang keris archetypes, and not a shot in the dark (I hope

).

12th June 2007, 01:39 AM	#9
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Dear everyone! I'm posting this message from beautiful Langkawi, where my seminar is held. To your comments - David - Unfortunately, Mr Nik Rashidee has just built a beautiful, large extension to his house, so I don't think he is thinking of moving anytime soon. Battara: The pendoko is gold. It is an old one, with the traditional red stain (sepuhan merah). The picture may not show the red stain on the gold very well, but also because the red stain has worn off some. This pendoko is about as fine as it gets. The wire filigree work is very fine and well executed, and the telur ikan (fish eggs - the tiny gold beads) are numerous and carefully attached to the base frame. I don't know anyone who can do this quality of work now, but if there is one such craftsman, I would most certainly like to get in touch with him! Yep, the toe is ivory. Newsteel: I don't have the piece with me in Langkawi, so I'd roughly estimate it at about 14-15inches. The blade is very thick and heavy. So Proportion-wise, this keris is a giant amongst other Minang kerises, which usually range between 8 - 12inches and are not so thick. The hilt, pendoko and blade are original to each other. The hilt was attached to the blade with resin (fortunately), which prevented a previous owner from removing the pendoko. In fact, the previous owner broke the hilt trying to remove the pendoko. Luckily, the hilt could be glued back with strong wood glue. The hilt's wood is dark, but has a very deep chatoyance. It's beautiful. I keep it because the wood is great, the form is great, and most important of all, it protected the pendoko. I can only imagine about the lost sheath and how beautiful it may have been. This newly-made sheath is based on the example in walk-in-splendour, so I guess the form should be more or less appropriate to the Minang keris archetypes, and not a shot in the dark (I hope ).