Crowns on Aceh weapons revisited

[erikscollectables]

Originally Posted by asomotif

the rencong with the gold covered hilt was used in the attack on Luitenant Kolonel W.B.J.A. Scheepens in Oktober 1913.
He died from the wound on 17th october 1913. A few days after the attack.

I looked up the story - I remembered reading it. It is in the book Atjeh by Zentgraaff (pages 49/50).

Scheepens was the military and civil commander of the city Sigli in Atjeh at that time. As civil commander he was also acting as the local judge.
There was a dispute between the son of an oelama (local religious leader) and a regular citizen were the son was hit. In court the regular citizen was punished to 3 months imprisonment - to the father this was not satisfactory and after some discussion over this with Scheepens he took his rencong by surprise and stabbed Scheepens in the belly. The oelama was immediately struck down by the Atjeh men and did not survive.

As an experienced Atjeh fighter Scheepens knew the stab was likely to kill him. But his pregnant wife was also there and in order to calm her down he acted as he was not badly hurt and suggested to drink a glass of champagne on the good outcome. After which he walked to the hospital. Despite the surgeon that was in the meantime noticed and came down from Koeta Radja in a hurry he was not to be saved and he died a few days later.
He was a very highly decorated officer with a lot of experience in Atjeh.

The son of the oelama was rejected by his mother after this for not standing up for his father and defending him there. It is a sad history for all that were involved.

And the rentjong is still in the collection of the Bronbeek museum! A very interesting piece of history - I hope this will be explained there as I did not know this was that infamous rentjong and there was no text at all.

Erik

[asomotif]

Thanks Erik for sharing the whole story on Scheepens.
Strange that they do not mention this in the museum.

*Sikin Peusangan with a single crown in suassa

I checked the "Legermuseum"at Delft, and they also have a sikin peusangan with a single suasa crown. Their collection nr 11149
Nice example that is, with a buffalohorn scabbard mouth and the scabbard covered with 3 large sections of silver.
I forgot my camera, so no pics.

Best regards,
Willem

[Battara]

I was wondering, what about triple silver crowns?

[asomotif]

what about triple silver crowns?

I have no clue about the meaning / status, but here are 2 examples :

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...silver+rencong

Best regards,
Willem

[erikscollectables]

Originally Posted by Battara

I was wondering, what about triple silver crowns?

Me too. What I can say that in the first picture in this thread there are two that are silver and never have been gilded.

I think gilded silver has to do with the amount of money available - the would have liked to have gold but did not have the money.

The two I have may have a different cultural/ethnic background. The one with ivory is Gajo (Gayo) for certain the other is probably as well from that region (use of suassa and colour of the sheath hint at that.

I think in Aceh the use of silver was frowned upon - this might have been different in the Gayo area. The one with ivory seems a ritual or status piece and is very big in size - not very practical to wear or handle I think for the regular length of people then and there.

Regards, Erik

[asomotif]

Hi Erik,

I must say that the silver handle from Battara (in the link above) shows much less detail than similar handles in gold. So besides the lack of money maybe this silver rentjong is also from a later date ? (no offense intended, just imho)

Best regards,
Willem

[erikscollectables]

The one does not have to exclude the other I still think it is a money question but next to this these type of rentjongs were produced at least into the 40s for ceremonial use like on weddings etc from what I know. Wear still limited to those allowed by adat.

The silver handle I have has great detail - inlay with enamal in good quality and a diamond on top. That is late 19th or early 20th century IMHO. It is the second one in the link mentioned.

Originally Posted by asomotif

Hi Erik,

I must say that the silver handle from Battara (in the link above) shows much less detail than similar handles in gold. So besides the lack of money maybe this silver rentjong is also from a later date ? (no offense intended, just imho)

Best regards,
Willem

[Battara]

OH Asomotif, no offense taken. I would not be surprised if it were later. Perhaps a wedding rencong from an adjacent place. No idea. Guess I just want to know where my silver one would be in the pecking order of things since obviously the gold crowns signify at least high nobility.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by asomotif

I checked the "Legermuseum"at Delft, and they also have a sikin peusangan with a single suasa crown. Their collection nr 11149
Nice example that is, with a buffalohorn scabbard mouth and the scabbard covered with 3 large sections of silver.
I forgot my camera, so no pics.

I also didn't have my camera, but happily a cellphone with full battery.

[asomotif]

This rare beauty sold at an auctionhouse. Would like to add it to thi sthread just for later reference.
Akar Bahar (black coral) hilt with gold and enamel

Best regards,
Willem

[Dom]

fantastic piece of "black coral"
I'm crazy for it ... as well as almost all divers

before, I had never seen such big branch
it's really "a rare beauty"

à +

Dom

[Battara]

Here is my crowned rencong with black coral:

[asomotif]

I believe this thread was started to investigate the crowns on aceh weapons.
So to stick with the topic i have this Siwai that is in the "Wereldmuseum" at Rotterdam. The hilt is a really huge piece of akar bahar.

Ps. there are no sizes mentioned, but this one is in the exposition of the museum and believe me. it is huge. easily twice the diameter of a rentjong hilt.