My Kris from the Edward Fey collection

[Marcus]

I just have to share!

From the auction catalog:
Fine old blade (pamor restored) and Surakarta style hilt, with green and gold demon face and fanciful Indonesian designs. It is noted by Edward Frey in the description for this kris that it is "Another scabbard decorated by the aging Solo artist."

Publications: Frey, Edward. "The Kris: Mystic weapon of the Malay world." New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Fig. 8(b).

Ideas on date?

[David]

I like this keris Marcus. It's a nice old blade with an interesting, uncommon and fairly well preserved pamor pattern dressed in a newer though well executed sunggingan sheath.
The sheath (at least the sunggingan) is 20th century. I'm not the best at assigning ages to blades, especially solely from photos, but i'd say quite a note older than the dress.

[Marcus]

The hilt is rather plain but with these couple of carved spots. One at least looks like it could be a face.

[David]

Marcus, you are indeed correct. This is the standard Javanese planar hilt, in this case of Surakarta style and what you perceive as faces are what are called cecekan and they are indeed just that. Some people feel that these mask like faces relate to ancestors.

[A. G. Maisey]

Possibly ancestors, possibly deities, possibly protective beings, possibly ancestors deified, possibly deified ancestors as protective figures --- possibly --- possibly --- possibly ---

--- and the reason for the distilled figures in the first place? Again a number of possibilities ---

--- and what about the original figures from which these planar hilt carvings have possibly been distilled?

Well, just as many possibilities there too.


The really great thing about Javanese symbolism is that it is almost unlimited, except by imagination. It is multi symbolism, and one thing can be interpreted in a number of different ways, dependent upon the situation and the person doing the interpreting --- and what side of the bed he got out of.

[David]

Well, i did say "some" people...