Identification of keris hilt

[Alam Shah]

Hi, I would like to know more about this keris handle.
I've looked up in many keris book, but could not find an exact match. Any ideas?

[rasdan]

Hi Alam shah,

I dont know much of this stuff, but i had seen a quite similar keris hilt in a Malaysian book. Raja Muda may remember the title of the book. Theres also one in (i think) Van Duuren's latest book. Perhaps other foroumite have any ideas?

[rahman]

Looks like the handle on a keris sajen, aka keris majapajit?

[Raja Muda]

The picture Pak Rasdan has is from a book on keris published by the Malaysian Handicrafts Development board. I think I have one too. Well, it's stated there as Keris Majapahit, though the details on the hilt is far more elaborate than the ones you see on other Keris Sajen. What we need now is for a Javanese to help lah!

[Alam Shah]

Thank you Raja Muda and rasdan. I had this piece for the last 15 years, just want to know more.

[Sang Keris]

a pair of majapahit ceremonial keris... just for example....


.

[Alam Shah]

Sang Keris,
Thanks for your example, but different from my type....
Any comments on my piece?

[empu kumis]

Hello Kerislovers,

especially on this kind of "keris" we have a lot of stories (donggeng) but no written records nor pictures on sculptures. The story this pieces has been used for the ceremony of "bersih Desa" or for offerings could not be verified. The most examples coming to musea all over the world was in the 19th century. There is no evidence for an old age at all. So far i know there was no metallurgical research or archaeological proof. Ther has been so many speculation and the topic goes on and on. Its an never ending fruitless story.

I know and have seen with my own eyes this pieces are still forged as almost massproduction as other new kerisses too. Sometimes I read about to give them an appraisal for a special tangguh ? Just Nonsense !! The small shops still selling new keris sajen because many people belief in their value as talisman !!!
I would be very thankful if somebody of you fellow forumites could tell me more. But please something i could have a proof.

Regards

empu kumis

[Sang Keris]

well , i mean

i mean that's the basic model of keris sajen , shahrial...

[nechesh]

I am a little confused about the first two examples here. Are these hilts one piece with the blade like keris sajen are or are they seperate? Aside from these hilts the wilah look like a regular keris blade. Regardless of their origins these hilts do look interesting and if indeed the oldest examples of these keris is only 19thC as Empu Kumis suggests they still qualify as an ethnographic item worthy of study and collection.

Empu Kumis wrote: "I know and have seen with my own eyes this pieces are still forged as almost massproduction as other new kerisses too. Sometimes I read about to give them an appraisal for a special tangguh ? Just Nonsense !! The small shops still selling new keris sajen because many people belief in their value as talisman !!!"

But E.K., it is precisely that power of people's belief which makes an item a valid talisman.

[Mans]

hi dear all,

I look a beautifull keris Sajen was posted in this thread, nice keris. Good sculptures hilt. The Keris Sajen have many kind of carved hilt. But, these have a same type, that is a man.

Like Empu Kumis said, that the story this pieces has been used for the ceremony of "bersih Desa" or for offerings could not be verified. So that, the keris like this is not for Talisman. It just a prerequirement for the ceremonny. So that many smith in every period of kingdom was producted this keris, in fact, still production by now.
After the ceremonial or event, this keris can be throw away in the river or hide away at wet rice field. The meaning is, keris Sajen can't be called as a Keris Mojopahit or Tangguh Majapahit.

If need to try to know how old the keris like that, we can look an iron and pamor work, so that we can to give them an appraisal for tangguh. But, for the hilt carved, we just can speculation. That is old or new made.

Regards,
Mans
p.s : another kind of Keris Sajen hilt

[Alam Shah]

nechesh,
That's what confuses me as well. It's not a keris sajen as per se. It hilt looks like a different piece than the blade. The hilt cannot be removed and the blade is a typical keris blade unlike a keris sajen type, which is one piece.

I'll take more pictures and post it here, once the piece is returned after upacara Suro' (traditional javanese cleaning).

[Alam Shah]

Attached is the blade for comment...

[Alam Shah]

All comments, good or bad are welcomed.

[rahman]

Dear Alam Shah

My 2 bits worth from a beginner:

1. The metal in the hilt is different from the blade, so it was not forged as a single piece. See if there are any weld marks where the hilt and the blade meets.

2. What does the inscription say? Quranic or talismanic?

3. The gentle undulations of the luk suggest a Palembang origin?

[Alam Shah]

Thanks rahman for your response,
1.) I'll take a closer picture near the hilt. As far as i can see, there are no weld marks.
2.) It's some kind of talismanic characters. I'll let you know what it's meant for later.
3.) Palembang?.... Interesting.

[Alam Shah]

Dear rahman,

The talismanic inscription on one side... (reference from Kitab Aji Mantra Guna), which translated to be "untuk menangkap maling". Accordingly, if a thief stole something from a place which is guarded by this talisman, the person would not be able to find his way out.

The inscription on the other side (reference from Kitab Al-Aufaq), it is to protect the wearer from sihir/sirep ,(a type of spell to lull or put one to sleep) and to prevent the wearer from falling asleep while on guard.
(Insya allah bisawab).

[rahman]

Dear Alam Shah

Pls take a look at this: ( edited , sorry Rahman links to active auctions are not allowed. )

See any resemblance to your hilt? I wonder if yours is hollow and the peksi fits into it, rather than being welded to it.

Is the inscription in Jawi or Kawi? Can we see a close-up of the inscription?

This is quite obviously a talisman (tangkal/penangkal). Phew! I thought you have a keris used by dukun/bomoh -- that would be mighty stuff.

[Alam Shah]

> See any resemblance to your hilt?
Similar, but not the same.
> I wonder if yours is hollow and the peksi fits into it, rather than being welded to it.
I believe so.

> Is the inscription in Jawi or Kawi?
What is Kawi...

> Can we see a close-up of the inscription?
Yup, will put up once I take the shots.

[Jan]

Hello, and sorry for coming in late on this one.

The picture shown by Pak Rasdan in the second posting of this thread looks VERY similar to a single metal keris handle that I purchased in Yogya about 4 years ago. I would be happy if Pak Rasdan or Raja Muda wcould remember the title of the book it is in, just to see if it says anything interesting about this particular handle.

My first attempt at taking digital pictures of my handle didn´t work out yet, I will try again later and just give you a quick comment on my version:

It is rather newly made, probably using modern tools.
It is hard to tell from Pak Rasdan´s picture above, but in this version, the old man has very furry eyebrows and a long beard down his chest. Especially face and beard are far more detailed in comparison with other keris sajen that I have seen.
The beard is partly seperated from the chest by three holes drilled through its base. In my case, these were apparently drilled through from left to right - the holes are much more precise on the left side, while the right still shows tiny bits of metal in the rim were the drill came out. I noticed this before buying it, so I never really thought it to be an old handle.
The inside of the hole for the peksi also looks professionally made using modern tools - just too precise and too smooth at the bottom of the hole.
Also, it is not as deep as other peksi holes I have seen, so maybe it would need more fixation than the traditional method - welding ???

Judging from this I would assume that both the hilt of Alam Shah`s keris and my version of it are actually modern-made single hilts that can be either normally attached or maybe even welded to a keris blade to "style it" into a keris sajen.

I will see if I get around to taking some pictures later.

[Alam Shah]

On both sides...

[Alam Shah]

Jan,
Let's have a look at your piece...

[Jan]

And here it is.

[rasdan]

Hi guys,

IMHO these hilts are of recent manufacture. I recently seen another one in Kg. Baru Antique shop KL. It looks down right similar to the example in the book. In Alam Shah's example, i think its an old blade fitted later on with the hilt. The inscription also looks recent as well. I'm not sure if the inscription is Koranic but if it is, it rather ironic to have it on a blade with a putut hilt which is "unislamic".

[rahman]

I think Alam Shah has said the inscription is talismanic rather than Quranic.

Alam -- what exactly does it say? Is it in Malay?

[Alam Shah]

After considering the comments...below is my opinion.

> Rasdan : IMHO these hilts are of recent manufacture
I think so too. But mine is at least 15 years only. (That's how long I've kept it).

What I believe.
Mine is a 2-piece keris (although the hilt cannot be removed). It's not a keris sajen.
The piece is used as a protective talisman, in Malay/Indonesia, by a spiritual healer. To use against disturbance from malevolent spirits and such.
To add functionality, the inscription was added at a later stage.

- Why this particular hilt is used? I don't know.
But i guess, it's just a symbol that the keris is for talismanic use...

> rahman: what exactly does it say? Is it in Malay?
No, it's not in malay. See the images that I had posted. It's more symbolic rather than an incantation.

I appreciate the comments from all who had participated. Thank you.

[rahman]

> rahman: what exactly does it say? Is it in Malay?
No, it's not in malay. See the images that I had posted. It's more symbolic rather than an incantation.


Sorry, my Jawi is 'karat; (rusty). If it's not in Malay, what exactly does it say? Can u transliterate? and what is that kitab you used to decipher it?

The talismanic inscription on one side... (reference from Kitab Aji Mantra Guna), which translated to be "untuk menangkap maling". Accordingly, if a thief stole something from a place which is guarded by this talisman, the person would not be able to find his way out.

This reminds me of what my late father-in-law said. A thief came into his house one day, but somehow could not find his way out. My wife said he might have had a keris... sorry, I had World War III with my in-laws decades ago.