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Originally Posted by noviar
Hello Wayne,
Thanks for your feedback and glad you like him and seem to me that he got good master and in good hand, I hope he like you too :-) The person who asked about the marking must be knife / blade lover and knowledgable user :-)
Your piece has its own history, it was my personal collection since 2006. The story of sikin started when I was hunting down the traditional Rencong maker, took me about 5-7 months for find a decent rencong bladesmith. I contact almost all institution that related to aceh from NGO to goverment department. In Aprill 2006, one of institution give me a contact of the brother of rencong maker in nort aceh. I called him and asked many thing, and place an order for few rencong. a mont later I got few rencong made by his brother name Ishak Abdullah. I got very good rencong, and good craftsmanship especially in his grinding skill and horn craft. Please see rencong_1_*.jpg
(ed. - the .jpgs he mentions in this quote section did not get thru, his attachments dfid and are below)
Than I place another order for 3 sikin and a pedang. A half and month later the delivered 3 sikin and a pedang, and they did another good job ;-) I'm very happy with their craftsmanship. I keep order few rencong just to help them get additional income, that time 2006 its kindda difficult time for most aceh people. By the end of 2006 and early 2007, another disaster ( flood ) strike north aceh, the last sms that I got is their knife shop was dissapear and carrid by the flood. Than I lost contact with them for many-many months. About 3 months ago they contact me and asked for help becasued he lost his job :-( So I place several order for rencong and other aceh knives.. And as usual they deliver some finest pieces that I ever had in term of grind quality.
The marking on your blade is "BONG" ( BONG_MARKING.JPG ), taken from the name of bladesmith brother, Amiruddin Bong.
And his brother Ishak Abdullah is considered one of the finest rencong maker in north aceh. I'm attaching the local publication of his brother ( Ishak_Abdullah_Pembuat_Rencong_Tanah_Pasir.jpg ) the text in the image is
"Rencong Maker
Ishak Abdullah ( 54 ) is completing a rencong making in Desa ( Village ) Meunasah Blang, Kecamatan Tanah Pasir, North Aceh. Ishak is the only one of Aceh traditional bladesmith who get order 4 pieces a day"
He is the 3rd / 4rd ( I forgot ) generation of Rencong maker, their granfather was one of rencong and other edge weapon maker in Aceh War. According to Bong, they are several skill that they can not reviva, one of them is making wooden sheath. Sadly but true, Aceh bladesmith has made wonderfull and amazing wooden sheat and handle in the past. And now its gone :-( I
Wayne, Sikin has many shape and name :-)
But like any other Indonesian naming system, they can be called by the distinct shape of blade then follow by its distinct shape of handle or origin or other porperties / element. The same shape can be called / named differently in some other places. ITs also happen with all aceh edge weapon. The 90 degree curve handle in rencong can be called as rencong canggei in north part of aceh, and in Banda aceh and other will be called with rencong meucanggek.
I'm attaching pics of the most popular sikin that I found in our Museum National in Jakarta. Last year, I made several research on some indonesian pieces, so I often visit museum to study and learn Indonesian pieces especially to study the character of sumatra pieces.
Sikin_*.jpg is few of aceh sikin, sikin.jpg and sikin_1.jpg is the most known sikin in the net, I belief its because of john works and publication in his website.Sikin_2_00.JPG is another type of sikin, is smaller and lighter. Please find the atachment for each distinct handle of sikin. And I'm attaching the tropen muesuem that I collect that show how rencong and sikin ae really used in aceh.. I really love this aceh warrior collection, in one of attachment you'll find the youngest people ( perhaps teenage ) that carry rencong and holding a sikin.. very lovely.
Sorry for this long, and I know my english not good and broken :-( but I hope you got my message :-)
Take Care
Noviar
PS: please give my regards to you comrades and for EMS is my special services for all winner that won my pieces. I have a budget for promotion, but I think buying and placing banner is not give me a good effect so I spend the money for upgrading the shipping from standart to express it surely give direct effect that made winner happy :-)
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