My rencong pudoi

[Sajen]

Hello Johan,

Of course it could be that the handle was once a meucangge and the elongation was broken at one time and got recarved and on your new pictures it looks a little bit like this. But anyway, it's now a puntung handle like the one on the left in the attached picture (taken from an old thread, collection from our member Willem), I guess from akar bahar (black coral).

Regards,
Detlef

[Johan van Zyl]

I hold your opinion in this matter in high regard, Detlef, and so I need to confirm what I think you are saying.
You seem quite satisfied that the elongation was broken at some time. You seem to be advising me to accept the fact that the rencong's damage is irreparable and I should leave things be.
However, I am feeling a nagging conviction that it cannot be accurate to say that the handle is now a puntung handle. It was almost certainly made as a meucangge handle. Surely, a puntung handle and a meucangge handle cannot be identical in all respects barring the elongation! Such a belief would infer that if someone should expertly remove a rencong's elongation, then no expert, however experienced, would be able to distinguish between puntung and meucangge.
This leads me to ask you whether you think I could rather try to attach a home-crafted elongation in horn to the handle, to make it the meucangge that it was originally designed to be. Of course, such a replacement must not be intended to deceive!
I am in any case planning to home-craft a scabbard as well, as I cannot bear to see my rencong all naked!
Your further advice will be greatly appreciated.
Regards, Johan

[kai]

Hello Johan,

I'm with Detlef: Keep this hilt as is - it's a genuine rencong from the 19th century.

I agree that this hilt started out as hulu meucangge; at some point the extension got removed and the remaining hilt smoothed out most likely for continued use during its working life as evidenced by the old patina (even if less than that of the remaining horn surface).

While it may have been done as a repair of a hilt that got broken, it may also be an attempt for easing concealed carry. Apparently the Dutch banned wearing of a rencong during their early exploits in northern Sumatra and I remember a claim that many hilts got cut down to bypass persecution - need to find the reference though.

BTW, hulu meucangge constructed from 2 parts are known from ivory and akar bahar. However, this doesn't make sense for horn (which is bend after heating to obtain a structurally sound hilt from a single piece of horn). And a modern replacement will always look off!

As already mentioned, there is quite some diversity of hulu pungtung: Many have decorative carving on the distal pommel while others are plain with just evenly rounded pommel. While some of the latter may indeed be cut down examples, there are a good number carved from akar bahar (as Willem's shown above) or from horn in original configuration as evidenced by its grain. Thus, also these plain hilts are a legitimate type.

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Hello Johan,

Your post #6 clearly shows that the paint was applied without real craftsmanship. Also the style is nothing like local motifs. I feel certain that this wasn't done by any indigenous North Sumatran ethnic group.

I'd be really inclined to remove this pseudo-embellishment almost certainly done by a foreign culture...

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

Your post #6 clearly shows that the paint was applied without real craftsmanship. Also the style is nothing like local motifs. I feel certain that this wasn't done by any indigenous North Sumatran ethnic group.

I'd be really inclined to remove this pseudo-embellishment almost certainly done by a foreign culture...

Hello Kai,

What makes you convinced that the painting was not done in Indonesia? What we can see in the close-ups in #6 is that the painting is rather worn and looks fairly old to my eyes.
I am very careful by removing anything from my items when I am not sure when and by whom it was done.

Regards,
Detlef

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

It seems to be some modern lacquer applied in a hasty way: Note the blisters from uneven application, trapped air bubbles, and tiny splashes (one even seems to sit on the re-carved surface).

I'm confident that this wasn't done by any traditional Aceh/Gayo/Alas artisan. It may well have been done in Medan, Jakarta, Bali, etc. or in South Africa! Compare it with old sunginggan work or lacquer work from Palembang. Moreover, traditional white paint applied on polished horn doesn't stand a chance to hold up well in active use.

Some parts of the paint seem to be loose already. For one's peace of mind, one could try to heat a piece of the paint on a clean hotplate for cooking and test for any artificial/plastic smell... (Do it on your own risk though! Be aware that it may leave unsightly residues, form harmful gases/smoke, scatter very hot blobs, or even ignite.)

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Hello Kai,

I am careful about giving any advice to remove something when I don't have the chance to examine it with my own eyes by handling it. My two cents.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Johan van Zyl

I hold your opinion in this matter in high regard, Detlef, and so I need to confirm what I think you are saying.
You seem quite satisfied that the elongation was broken at some time. You seem to be advising me to accept the fact that the rencong's damage is irreparable and I should leave things be.

Exactly Johan! Like Kai wrote, horn handles in meucangge style get bent with help from boiling water or oil, I haven't seen examples worked from two pieces of horn, a repair will not look good and will have a faulty appearance.

Regards,
Detlef