Crowns on Aceh weapons revisited

asomotif · 9th November 2016, 09:13 PM

Quote:

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 · 10th November 2016, 10:20 AM

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 · 13th November 2016, 09:19 AM

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 · 13th November 2016, 08:15 PM

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 · 13th November 2016, 11:26 PM

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

Regards,
Detlef

Maurice · 15th April 2017, 03:58 PM

Golden crown in a hippo ivory hilt.

Battara · 17th April 2017, 12:22 AM

Very nice Maurice, thank you for posting this.

10th November 2016, 10:20 AM	#2
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	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. Attached Images

15th April 2017, 03:58 PM	#6
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,453	Golden crown in a hippo ivory hilt. Attached Images

13th November 2016, 09:19 AM	#3
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,453	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

13th November 2016, 08:15 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,270	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.

13th November 2016, 11:26 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,164	Agree, a very beautiful example! But sorry, can't help with Salvini. Regards, Detlef

17th April 2017, 12:22 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,270	Very nice Maurice, thank you for posting this.