![]() |
|
![]() |
#1 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,237
|
![]()
Dear Kerislovers,
yesterday an interesting Keris was auctioned, I think it would be good to preserve the pictures of it here. It appears to be a Keris from 17th cent. with an original Singha and 17th cent. hilt. Gonjo could be an old replacement. The non-standard Greneng of this kind is the second one I see on an old piece, the other one being Dresden 2888 (in fact some years ago there was another interesting blade dressed as Keris Bali with this Greneng). It may be coincidence, but the hilts on both Keris represent an aggressive appearance with visible fangs, different from common North/West(?) hilts. Are there some opinions, in which context in time and space such comparably simple Singha, so different from Mataram Singha, such Greneng and such hilt variation could appear? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Malaysia
Posts: 311
|
![]()
Congrats to the winner. I was watching this one for sometimes in the past few weeks when suddenly the bids went mad . somebody either know the provenance of this keris or wanted it badly for some reasons.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 459
|
![]()
keris owned by warrior or royalty?
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,855
|
![]()
I doubt that I am looking at a Javanese wilah here. At least, the Singo Barong is not in any Javanese style that I can recognise, to my eye this singo looks Cambodian, or maybe Kymer or Thai, or even Burmese. It does not look Javanese. I think it might be more correct to refer to this form as a Chinthe, and if we do that this terminology removes it from a Javanese reference. The rondha is equally strange.
But if we remove the rondha/greneng and the singo from consideration the blade probably can be accepted as Javanese. Maybe the maker had a holiday in Bangkok before he started work? Did they have resorts and massage girls and other sorts of relaxing innovations back then? If not, well they should have had. Maybe it was ordered by a visiting or ex patriot Cambodian? Lots of Javanese links with Cambodia in olden times. Or possibly for export? The Javanese did export weapons and weapon blades all over South East Asia. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 31st August 2019 at 09:38 AM. Reason: after thought |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,100
|
![]()
i can see all of Alan's points here. This singo certainly does not appear to be Javanese and the greneng is also very strange for that origin. But much of the blade could indeed be Javanese. An interesting mystery.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,252
|
![]()
Just because a hilt is old, an accompanying blade should not be assumed to be of similar age without evidence.
However, if we accept Dresden 2888 as originating from the Jawa-Bali nexus, I see no real reason to not seriously examine the hypothesis that this blade may be of similar origin and age (despite the somewhat crude lion)! As Gustav mentioned, the gonjo may be a replacement; the blade does exhibit clear pamor extending over the carved figure: While I haven't been able to examine this blade in person, the lion seems to be legit and the blade most likely to originate from Indonesia... Regards, Kai |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|