Bugis Keris

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Jean

Well, the kris origin is most probably Terengganu as indicated by Gustav, as the style of the scabbard, hilt, and pendokok are not typically Indonesian indeed.
Regarding the ivory species, the open crack on the top seems to be part of the intersticial line found on hippo ivory. However I never noticed such parallel lines either on hippo ivory or spermwhale ivory.
Regards

I was specifically asking about the carved lines on the abdominal area. I guessed they were representative of a sarong (at first I thought wooden armor but I believe that it is usually orientated horizontally). Ruling out armor, my curiosity was aimed specifically at was there a cloth pattern these lines were designed to imitate?

Jean, now that you have mentioned the grain pattern of the material, on your second example, are the lines I see on the "face" of the demam figure the ones you are referring to? Is this an example that you referred to as hippo ivory in a hilt book? Or are you talking about the lines on the top of the head of the OP? Those are an end grain pattern, no?

[David]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

Jean, now that you have mentioned the grain pattern of the material, on your second example, are the lines I see on the "face" of the demam figure the ones you are referring to? Is this an example that you referred to as hippo ivory in a hilt book? Or are you talking about the lines on the top of the head of the OP? Those are an end grain pattern, no?

Jean is referring to the line with the black dots that runs down the center front of the hilt over the center of the arm. This is often considered an indication of hippo origin. Here is another hilt with a similar dotted line.

[David]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

I was specifically asking about the carved lines on the abdominal area. I guessed they were representative of a sarong (at first I thought wooden armor but I believe that it is usually orientated horizontally). Ruling out armor, my curiosity was aimed specifically at was there a cloth pattern these lines were designed to imitate?

I have always assumed this was simply a design feature meant to create a sense of depth by allowing the eye to recede. Here is another example on another Peninsula hilt. If this is representational of clothing or armour or symbolic of anything in particular i am not aware.

[Jean]

Thank you David and I agree with what you said.

[Rafngard]

I'm sure there are others who can speak more authoritatively on this but I think that the pendokok on David's keris is of the gelugor type, mainly used in Terengganu region. These are named after the gelugor fruit.

Thanks,
Leif

[David]

Here is another keris identified as Terengganu that was posted on the forum a while back that shows the same use of string wrapping around the bottom of the sheath stem. Just thought i'd add it for reference. It does seem the the real enigma here is this extraordinary hilt.

[Gustav]

I don't see much of an enigma in this hilt. As David Henkel once wrote, there was a craze in those days for innovation and hybrid styles around in Terengganu and Kelantan in 1920-1940.

It is quite clearly a Pipit Teleng hilt, all the main features (more or less bulging eyes together with the "chickens comb" etc.) are here, some planes being filled out and some lines accentuated with floral carvings.

If there are deviances in overall form, they might be dictated by the size and shape of the piece of ivory used, especially if marine ivory is used (and limitations of the maker - the floral carvings are not of the best quality, the posture stiff).

[David]

Originally Posted by Gustav

I don't see much of an enigma in this hilt. As David Henkel once wrote, there was a craze in those days for innovation and hybrid styles around in Terengganu and Kelantan in 1920-1940.

It is quite clearly a Pipit Teleng hilt, all the main features (more or less bulging eyes together with the "chickens comb" etc.) are here, some planes being filled out and some lines accentuated with floral carvings.

If there are deviances in overall form, they might be dictated by the size and shape of the piece of ivory used, especially if marine ivory is used (and limitations of the maker - the floral carvings are not of the best quality, the posture stiff).

Gustav, most of the Pipit Teleng hilts that i am familiar with do not, in fact, have bulging eyes. Sometimes there are some simple markings to delineate eyes, often there are no eyes at all. So i do not see bulging eyes as a common trait for Pipit Teleng at all. Also strange that you consider the posture "stiff" on this example. Mine has much more shape and curviness to it than most of the Pipit Teleng hilts i have seen, especially at the base and in the crossed arm. Frankly i find the posture for most Pipit Teleng to be rather stiff in general and this one seem more fluid to my eye that the more pure form Pipit Teleng forms. Perhaps you could show us some examples of Pipit Teleng hilts with bulging eyes and a less stiff form.
I do agree that the floral carvings are not "high quality", but they are unusual to this form and to my tastes, adding a level of personality and character to this hilt. I do believe that "enigma" was not quite the right word for what i was trying to express, but this hilt is unique and unusual to me. As i expressed in my opening post, if you have another hilt like it please post because i want to see it.