Ideas?

[A. G. Maisey]

Tim, you are of course free to disagree with anything that I, or anybody else may write, and I agree, my use of the terminology "village work" is a simplification.However, let us establish one thing:- I have not stated my ideas on village work, so it is not my ideas with which you disagree, but my terminology.

I simplified because I did wish to write extensively on the differences between the work of a professional tukang jejeran , and work done by a person for his own gratification.

The hilt of which I posted images is most definitely not the work of a professional carver. It is something that has been carved by an individual for his personal use. This individual would have been outside the influence of a kraton, and would very probably have lived in a rural situation.There is no doubt that this hilt shows considerable charm, and great sensitivity on the part of the carver, but it is not the work of a skilled person.This is what makes it unique, and why it should be carefully studied and thought upon, by any serious student of the keris.In my opinion, more can be learnt from this type of hilt, of the true meaning of the keris to people at the grassroots of the culture, than can be learnt from the over refined stylization to be found in kraton controlled examples.

To my way of thinking, this hilt is worthy of the closest attention. Far more so than the bulk of the ivory hilts that I posted to a different thread.