Gold Leaf Sheath and hilt

milandro · 23rd February 2022, 10:10 AM

I’ve recently acquired a very nice (to me) Balinese keris , the sarong and hilt are made of wood and have been marbleized ( for “MY" lack of a better word perhaps someone knows the proper name of this kind of effect) with the application of Gold Leaf.

The worn out effect is very fetching (to me, I am sure I’m going to be given some contrary opinions) I suppose that it was intended from the start the give this effect or if it became like this by use I am still thrilled with its looks which obviously tell a “ story".

The blade is very rusty and will need some work before revealing the hidden secrets also there was no mendak and I’ve already ordered one in gold plate brass and red stones (or perhaps let’s call them “paste”). Anyway is this common?

JustYS · 23rd February 2022, 10:47 AM

Hi Milandro,

I believe the word you are looking for to describe your warangka is Sunggingan.

If you search sunggingan in this forum you’ll find plenty of threads.

Here is one of them:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=Sunggingan

Cheers,

milandro · 23rd February 2022, 11:32 AM

Thank you @JustYS.

I am not sure that my kris falls under this category, please correct me if I am wrong, at least not from the examples that I can see from the thread which you quoted.

Unless the word Sunggingan means any colored or painted or gilded sarong/hilt ( in that same then this is Sunggingan) regardless from the depiction or technique, what I can see in that thread are polychrome sarongs/hilts with figures or decorations painted.

David · 23rd February 2022, 06:27 PM

I am not sure if Sunggingan would apply here, but others might know better.
Gold leaf has often been applied when creating Sunggingan dress, but i have always considered the term to apply to painted figures and designs, not a complete covering with gold leaf or paint as this dress displays. The word means "paintings" i believe, or something to that effect.
I don't image that this "marbled" effect, as you referred to it, was the original intention. This is most probably due to wear and age.
Looking forward to seeing the blade.

milandro · 23rd February 2022, 06:59 PM

I think I have seen somewhere a similar sarong with the same effect (why put the red underneath if you didn’t want it to show it through the cracks of the gold leaf? If that wasn’t intentional they may as well left just some whitewash background primer ) but the color combination was gold and green.

I can’t remember where I have seen this though. It may have been at the home of one of the several “ serial collectors “ that I have been privileged with visiting since I started my interest for the Keris.

One particular gentleman whom resides in Arnhem by the one of the borders with Germany had the most impressive collection and it may have been his place. Unfortunately I could only stay 15 minutes since I had a previous engagement .

I am afraid the blade is not really impressive neither for size nor for design or maybe even pamor (which I will see only at a later stage)

A. G. Maisey · 23rd February 2022, 07:11 PM

When we get this gold leaf overlay it is called "prada" (pron, "prodo").

Gilded work is correctly called "pradan", but it is commonly called just "prada", which means "gold leaf".

I have never seen quite this effect, usually it will be combined in small amounts with sunggingan work. We often find prada work on wall plaques (blawong) & keris stands (ploncon, jagrak).

23rd February 2022, 10:10 AM	#1
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 430	Gold Leaf Sheath and hilt I’ve recently acquired a very nice (to me) Balinese keris , the sarong and hilt are made of wood and have been marbleized ( for “MY" lack of a better word perhaps someone knows the proper name of this kind of effect) with the application of Gold Leaf. The worn out effect is very fetching (to me, I am sure I’m going to be given some contrary opinions) I suppose that it was intended from the start the give this effect or if it became like this by use I am still thrilled with its looks which obviously tell a “ story". The blade is very rusty and will need some work before revealing the hidden secrets also there was no mendak and I’ve already ordered one in gold plate brass and red stones (or perhaps let’s call them “paste”). Anyway is this common? Attached Images

23rd February 2022, 10:47 AM	#2
JustYS Member Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 129	Hi Milandro, I believe the word you are looking for to describe your warangka is Sunggingan. If you search sunggingan in this forum you’ll find plenty of threads. Here is one of them: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=Sunggingan Cheers,

23rd February 2022, 11:32 AM	#3
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 430	Thank you @JustYS. I am not sure that my kris falls under this category, please correct me if I am wrong, at least not from the examples that I can see from the thread which you quoted. Unless the word Sunggingan means any colored or painted or gilded sarong/hilt ( in that same then this is Sunggingan) regardless from the depiction or technique, what I can see in that thread are polychrome sarongs/hilts with figures or decorations painted.

23rd February 2022, 06:27 PM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,061	I am not sure if Sunggingan would apply here, but others might know better. Gold leaf has often been applied when creating Sunggingan dress, but i have always considered the term to apply to painted figures and designs, not a complete covering with gold leaf or paint as this dress displays. The word means "paintings" i believe, or something to that effect. I don't image that this "marbled" effect, as you referred to it, was the original intention. This is most probably due to wear and age. Looking forward to seeing the blade.

23rd February 2022, 06:59 PM	#5
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 430	I think I have seen somewhere a similar sarong with the same effect (why put the red underneath if you didn’t want it to show it through the cracks of the gold leaf? If that wasn’t intentional they may as well left just some whitewash background primer ) but the color combination was gold and green. I can’t remember where I have seen this though. It may have been at the home of one of the several “ serial collectors “ that I have been privileged with visiting since I started my interest for the Keris. One particular gentleman whom resides in Arnhem by the one of the borders with Germany had the most impressive collection and it may have been his place. Unfortunately I could only stay 15 minutes since I had a previous engagement . I am afraid the blade is not really impressive neither for size nor for design or maybe even pamor (which I will see only at a later stage)

23rd February 2022, 07:11 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,770	When we get this gold leaf overlay it is called "prada" (pron, "prodo"). Gilded work is correctly called "pradan", but it is commonly called just "prada", which means "gold leaf". I have never seen quite this effect, usually it will be combined in small amounts with sunggingan work. We often find prada work on wall plaques (blawong) & keris stands (ploncon, jagrak).