Uniquely Singapore Merlion Keris inspired by unduk-unduk

Treeslicer · 2nd April 2018, 08:08 PM

Bugis? (Pun Intended)

alexish · 2nd April 2018, 10:05 PM

Actually, this keris is inspired by the unduk-unduk (seahorse) keris of Terengganu state, peninsular Malaysia. Please see attached image. The sarung is a traditional form called Kusriwo, which is also associated with Terengganu state of peninsular Malaysia.

Treeslicer · 2nd April 2018, 10:49 PM

Thanks for posting the Terengganu keris, as well. Gives some perspective. Roughly how old is the unduk-unduk in the photo?

alexish · 3rd April 2018, 01:26 AM

The photo was taken from another thread in the vikingsword forum. I think it should be at least pre-war in age.

kai · 3rd April 2018, 09:35 PM

Hello Alexis,

Quote:

Actually, this keris is inspired by the unduk-unduk (seahorse) keris of Terengganu state, peninsular Malaysia.

IMHO there are only very few nicely chiselled unduk-unduk and even fewer well-sculpted blades with this feature.

Legalities and the merlion being some kind of commercial modern idea aside, I don't think its placement in the pudhak sategal area is well advised: IMHO the stocky body completely breaks the flow of lines of the whole blade. If you have to, it might possibly work out reasonably well as a figure at the gandik area though...

Quote:

The sarung is a traditional form called Kusriwo, which is also associated with Terengganu state of peninsular Malaysia.

I don't think this rather non-traditional version will "fly" with northern Malayan aesthetics. Got it carved on Madura, too?

You're certainly rattling the cage with those creations. However, I believe this is too much of a mix'n'match approach with too many influences from distinct cultures to be digestible from a more traditional perspective.

Regards,
Kai

alexish · 4th April 2018, 01:14 AM

Actually, the 'Bugis' pun has meaning, because this keris was actually commissioned from a Singapore dealer who has a shop in the Bugis street area.
Perhaps, some of you maybe able to guess who the 'dealer' is. He actually has a local patent for putting Merlions on kerises.

Aside from the blade, any of you fellow collectors have any further opinion on the Sarung, which I think is quite a traditional Malay Kusriwo design, even though it was carved in Madura?

David · 4th April 2018, 01:39 AM

Well Alexis, no one has a "patent" on the Merlion other than the Singapore Tourist Board (STB). One can apply to the STB for permission to use the image of the Merlion and my understanding is that if they approve you may use it at no charge. Your Singapore dealer may have made such arrangements with that board.
I really know only one Singapore dealer, but i do not believe his identity is pertinent to this discussion.
Your "Malay Kusriwo" sheath does indeed seem to be based upon a traditional Malay form, but i believe the carving flourishes and the manner in which they are carved gives it away fairly easily as a Madura product. As for the blade itself, this does not seem to be one of the better quality ones you have shown in the past. Is this the same smith who did your "Minangkabau" keris, because if so it does not seem to be at the same level of craft or execution, especially when we examine the carving of the greneng and the open carvings around the base.

alexish · 4th April 2018, 02:36 AM

Dear Collectors,

These are the original sarungs that inspired my piece. Any opinion whether these are traditional designs?

alexish · 4th April 2018, 02:41 AM

Here are the original designs of the unduk-unduk blades that inspired my Merlion piece. Any opinion?

Treeslicer · 4th April 2018, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexish

Actually, the 'Bugis' pun has meaning, because this keris was actually commissioned from a Singapore dealer who has a shop in the Bugis street area.
Perhaps, some of you maybe able to guess who the 'dealer' is. He actually has a local patent for putting Merlions on kerises.

IMHO, if the keris originates from Singapore, that changes the whole complexion of the matter. However innovative the design might be, a merlion seems quite appropriate incorporated into a piece of Singaporean contemporary art, and given the proper permission from the STB, legal as well.

David · 3rd April 2018, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treeslicer

Bugis? (Pun Intended)

I'm afraid i'm missing the pun and since others have PMed me equally confused i guess i'm not alone.

David · 3rd April 2018, 07:04 PM

Alexis, an unique keris indeed. I cannot recall the Merlion ever being used in keris design before and find it a strange choice indeed. As far as i can tell the Merlion is a completely modern and commercial construct. The following passage from Wikipedia discusses it's origin.
The symbol was designed by Alec Fraser-Brunner, a member of the Souvenir Committee and curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium, for the logo of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in use from 26 March 1964 to 1997 and has been its trademarked symbol since 20 July 1966. Although the STB changed their logo in 1997, the STB Act continues to protect the Merlion symbol. Approval must be received from STB before it can be used. The Merlion appears frequently on STB-approved souvenirs.
So you have placed a modern "mythological" beast created by a British ichthyologist for commercial purposes (promotion of tourism) on your keris as a replacement for the more traditional seahorses (unduk-unduk). I placed "mythological" in quotations because as far as i know this is a completely fabricated beast with no local mythology actually attached to it. Seems rather spurious to me. Also sounds like you might have transgressed some local legalities since the symbol of the Merlion is still apparently protected by the STB and permission must be granted for its usage. Someone might take this keris for an official STB souvenir.

Treeslicer · 3rd April 2018, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I'm afraid i'm missing the pun and since others have PMed me equally confused i guess i'm not alone.

You've never heard of Bugis Street in Singapore? Looks like a credible provenance to me. Even the time frame's correct for a tourist piece with a merlion on it. If they'd sold keris along with the other amenities available there before it was "cleaned up", this might have been a valid "Bugis" design.

All joking aside, this thing probably will confuse collectors sometime in the future.

Alexish, did you have this blade made in Madura like the last one?

David · 3rd April 2018, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treeslicer

All joking aside, this thing probably will confuse collectors sometime in the future.

I was just thinking the same thing myself. This and a few others of Alexis' commissioned designs might present some real enigmas a generation or so down the line.
Thanks for clearing up the pun. No, i haver never been to Singapore and was not familiar with this street, but now see it.

2nd April 2018, 10:05 PM	#2
alexish Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 127	Actually, this keris is inspired by the unduk-unduk (seahorse) keris of Terengganu state, peninsular Malaysia. Please see attached image. The sarung is a traditional form called Kusriwo, which is also associated with Terengganu state of peninsular Malaysia. Attached Images

2nd April 2018, 10:49 PM	#3
Treeslicer Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 65	Thanks for posting the Terengganu keris, as well. Gives some perspective. Roughly how old is the unduk-unduk in the photo? Last edited by Treeslicer; 2nd April 2018 at 11:02 PM.

4th April 2018, 02:36 AM	#8
alexish Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 127	Sarung - Original Designs Dear Collectors, These are the original sarungs that inspired my piece. Any opinion whether these are traditional designs? Attached Images

4th April 2018, 02:41 AM	#9
alexish Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 127	Original Unduk Unduk Blades Here are the original designs of the unduk-unduk blades that inspired my Merlion piece. Any opinion? Attached Images

2nd April 2018, 08:08 PM	#1
Treeslicer Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 65	Bugis? (Pun Intended)

3rd April 2018, 01:26 AM	#4
alexish Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 127	The photo was taken from another thread in the vikingsword forum. I think it should be at least pre-war in age.

4th April 2018, 01:14 AM	#6
alexish Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 127	Actually, the 'Bugis' pun has meaning, because this keris was actually commissioned from a Singapore dealer who has a shop in the Bugis street area. Perhaps, some of you maybe able to guess who the 'dealer' is. He actually has a local patent for putting Merlions on kerises. Aside from the blade, any of you fellow collectors have any further opinion on the Sarung, which I think is quite a traditional Malay Kusriwo design, even though it was carved in Madura?

4th April 2018, 01:39 AM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Well Alexis, no one has a "patent" on the Merlion other than the Singapore Tourist Board (STB). One can apply to the STB for permission to use the image of the Merlion and my understanding is that if they approve you may use it at no charge. Your Singapore dealer may have made such arrangements with that board. I really know only one Singapore dealer, but i do not believe his identity is pertinent to this discussion. Your "Malay Kusriwo" sheath does indeed seem to be based upon a traditional Malay form, but i believe the carving flourishes and the manner in which they are carved gives it away fairly easily as a Madura product. As for the blade itself, this does not seem to be one of the better quality ones you have shown in the past. Is this the same smith who did your "Minangkabau" keris, because if so it does not seem to be at the same level of craft or execution, especially when we examine the carving of the greneng and the open carvings around the base.

3rd April 2018, 07:04 PM	#12
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Alexis, an unique keris indeed. I cannot recall the Merlion ever being used in keris design before and find it a strange choice indeed. As far as i can tell the Merlion is a completely modern and commercial construct. The following passage from Wikipedia discusses it's origin. The symbol was designed by Alec Fraser-Brunner, a member of the Souvenir Committee and curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium, for the logo of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in use from 26 March 1964 to 1997 and has been its trademarked symbol since 20 July 1966. Although the STB changed their logo in 1997, the STB Act continues to protect the Merlion symbol. Approval must be received from STB before it can be used. The Merlion appears frequently on STB-approved souvenirs. So you have placed a modern "mythological" beast created by a British ichthyologist for commercial purposes (promotion of tourism) on your keris as a replacement for the more traditional seahorses (unduk-unduk). I placed "mythological" in quotations because as far as i know this is a completely fabricated beast with no local mythology actually attached to it. Seems rather spurious to me. Also sounds like you might have transgressed some local legalities since the symbol of the Merlion is still apparently protected by the STB and permission must be granted for its usage. Someone might take this keris for an official STB souvenir.