Crowns on Aceh weapons revisited

[Maurice]

PS. Ever have seen anything like this? Suassa crowns, in the same style as the golden crowns?

Is this also unique, or "only" very rare? Are there others like this in someones collection?

[Loedjoe]

Thank you Kai for your interesting comments on crowns - I must look more carefully at examples in future. Not sure whether my example is Aceh with Gayo feature, or Gayo wth Aceh feature!

Thank you Maurice for the 'unique' comment - I think the same can be said of your sikin with the suasa crown - very nice indeed.

[Battara]

Nice example Maurice. Must say that I haven't seen on like this before.

[Maurice]

FYI: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...0&page=1&pp=30

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by Loedjoe

Many thanks, Willem, for your response. Let us hope others will see my question, and perhaps come up with other examples. (Although, as this rencong is now in my collection, I hope it remains unique!)

Best wishes, Tim

Tim,

Congratulations. that is a very nice and rare piece.
Could you share some more pictures with us ?

Best regards,
Willem

[Loedjoe]

Dear Willem

Pictures posted here, with pleasure (they are the ones taken by the auction house; rather better than ones I would be able to take).
Measurements - 42 cm, blade 25 cm (9.5 mm thick at the base), hilt and collar 17 cm.
The hilt is hippopotamus ivory; on each of the four sides, immediately below the pommel, there is an incised flower (a lotus?) with the tip pointing towards the blade, all four very worn with age, the design on one side almost invisible.
The blade is slightly flexible towards the tip – the rencong was received slightly bent at the tip, and was able to be straightened. This seems to me a curious feature; surely it would be fairly useless as a weapon if the tip bends so easily – but perhaps as a status piece it was not really intended for use? Has anyone else come across rencong with bendable tips?
Collected for his private collection by a European businessman, Riccardo Salvini, the representative of the firms Transmarina Kompaniet Aktiebolag and Aktiebolaget Svensk-Engelska Oceankompaniet, in Stockholm, during his journey through India, the Dutch Indies and Batavia (Java) and the Far East between 1920 and 1921.
Does anyone know anything about Salvini and his collection? Information about him/it would be most welcome.

[Maurice]

Dear Tim,

I think people here are overwhelmed by the beautiness of your super high end rencong. That is why there is so little feedback amongst the forumites on this super piece?

Anyway, it is by far the most beautiful rencong I have ever seen, and I have seen (and handled) a lot of high end rencongs before!

Another great thing is that hippo ivory was very popular in the Gayo- and Alas areas!
So besides it looks breathtaking, it is also very interesting because it is unique and cross cultural ( Aceh at the other hand, and Gayo-Alas at the other hand).

Kind regards,
Maurice

[Battara]

Yes this is one of the most beautiful Gayo examples I have seen. I think I remember this fro Czerny's.

I also love gold and suassa.

[Sajen]

Agree, a very beautiful example! But sorry, can't help with Salvini.

Regards,
Detlef

[Maurice]

Golden crown in a hippo ivory hilt.

[Battara]

Very nice Maurice, thank you for posting this.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Battara

Very nice Maurice, thank you for posting this.

Thank you Jose!

[Battara]

Almost looks Gayo.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Battara

Almost looks Gayo.

Jose, that is exactly why I posted it in this thread.
But nobody seems to notice it. The Large hippo hilt is typically Gayo, while the golden crowns and scabbard are typically Aceh.

That is why I thought it was an interesting post with this cross cultural combination.

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by Maurice

Jose, that is exactly why I posted it in this thread.
But nobody seems to notice it. The Large hippo hilt is typically Gayo, while the golden crowns and scabbard are typically Aceh.

That is why I thought it was an interesting post with this cross cultural combination.

Hello Maurice,

Do you have pictures of the blade and scabbard ?

The connection between hilt and crown looks ok on this picture.
But the connection between crown and blade is not very smooth and shows dark resin.

All parts are Original imho, but where they fitted like this originally ?

Best regards,
Willem

[Battara]

Maurice I do agree with the "mismatch".

I also agree with Asomotif in that pictures of the whole piece as well as closeups of the region in question would be of great help.

I'm glad you posted this.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Do you have pictures of the blade and scabbard ?

The connection between hilt and crown looks ok on this picture.
But the connection between crown and blade is not very smooth and shows dark resin.

All parts are Original imho, but where they fitted like this originally ?

Hi Willem,

ofcourse all parts are original, why would I doubt it?
Sheath and blade are like a regular Acehnese rencong by the way.

Regards,
Maurice

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by Maurice

Hi Willem,

ofcourse all parts are original, why would I doubt it?
Sheath and blade are like a regular Acehnese rencong by the way.

Regards,
Maurice

Hi Maurice,

Yes, all parts are Original. I agree.
But the connection between the gold crown and the blade looks not very smooth, and with the resin showing.
So maybe this is some kind of marriage between hilt and blade.

Best regards,
Willem

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Hi Maurice,

Yes, all parts are Original. I agree.
But the connection between the gold crown and the blade looks not very smooth, and with the resin showing.
So maybe this is some kind of marriage between hilt and blade.

Best regards,
Willem

Yes I know what you mean. And this could ofcourse be possible. The marriage is native IMO. The golden crowns are "carved" into the Ivory of the hilt itself, which is seen on a regular base with rencongs with golden crowns. Doesn't look like that had been done in the Western world.

I have owned several Gayo rencongs with these kind of hilts, and two of them had loose hilts (could be seperated from the blade), probably this is a side effect of these kind of hilts during its age.

I agree it could be an old native marriage between the blade and hilt ofcourse!

If the rencong could talk, I would have know...

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by Maurice

Yes I know what you mean. And this could ofcourse be possible. The marriage is native IMO. The golden crowns are "carved" into the Ivory of the hilt itself, which is seen on a regular base with rencongs with golden crowns. Doesn't look like that had been done in the Western world.
...

Yes, the fitting on the Ivory hilt looks very good.
And basically that is the cross cultural combi

[Battara]

I would say that it is possible the person had mixed heritage and this shows up in the piece. It does all look tight to me.

[erikscollectables]

First golden crowns I have seen on a Gayo piece. Certainly not traditional Gayo so probably a (period) marriage. The marriage is "confirmed" by the incorrect fit to the blade as mentioned before. Very interesting piece!

[erikscollectables]

Adding to the luxury, gold inlay on the blade as well....after all this time since the start of this thread still hunting for crowns

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by erikscollectables

First golden crowns I have seen on a Gayo piece. Certainly not traditional Gayo so probably a (period) marriage. The marriage is "confirmed" by the incorrect fit to the blade as mentioned before. Very interesting piece!

Did you check post #126 ?

The gayo blade + suasa (gayo) "ferrule" with a gold crown and the hilt ?

[erikscollectables]

Superb piece that is but and it seems all correct! But not typical either not sure what to think about the handle. Maybe the conclusion is we still know little about the Gayo variations....

[asomotif]

Here another rentjong for sharing.

Another interesting variation.

[Battara]

How insanely beautiful!

[Sajen]

Hello Willem,

very nice rentjong! What is the main handle material under the gold?

Regards,
Detlef

[kai]

Hello Willem,

Nice addition to your collection! Any chance for a family shot of all your rentjong?

What is the main handle material under the gold?

I'd guess at very weathered hippo, Detlef.


IMHO this piece is a very nice status rencong (maybe even early 19th century) that got renovated some time during the 20th century in Aceh: The gold work looks genuine; the craftsmanship is considerably less than during the 19th (or even early 20th) century though.

Regards,
Kai

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Willem,

Nice addition to your collection! Any chance for a family shot of all your rentjong?



I'd guess at very weathered hippo, Detlef.


IMHO this piece is a very nice status rencong (maybe even early 19th century) that got renovated some time during the 20th century in Aceh: The gold work looks genuine; the craftsmanship is considerably less than during the 19th (or even early 20th) century though.

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai and others.

This rentjong was presented on a television antique show for appraisal, Unfortunately I am not the owner.

Best regards,
Willem