Help ID'ing 3 Kris

[A. G. Maisey]

All agreed David, however, in respect of the "soldier keris".

There are several of this type of keris on display in the museum attached to the Sumenep kraton, they are named as gabilan wrongkos.

From three informants living in Sumenep, one of whom was an abdi dalem of the kraton, I was advised that this type of wrongko is a form of folk art, very often carved by the owner of the keris himself.

Supposedly Madurese men who joined the Dutch forces would take a keris of this style with them when they left to serve. Often the keris style reflected a Dutch motif or idea, which was believed to be a show of loyalty to the Dutch.

This particular "cat" style is supposed to represent the Dutch Lion of Orange.

I would gently suggest that these Madurese keris were never made as "tourist keris", they began as Madurese folk art, they were taken into Dutch service by Madurese mercenaries, and perhaps when the Madurese soldier returned home he might have sold or given his keris to a Dutch soldier.

These keris might have become "tourist objects" for the Dutch, but they never were this for the Madurese.

[David]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

All agreed David, however, in respect of the "soldier keris".

There are several of this type of keris on display in the museum attached to the Sumenep kraton, they are named as gabilan wrongkos.

From three informants living in Sumenep, one of whom was an abdi dalem of the kraton, I was advised that this type of wrongko is a form of folk art, very often carved by the owner of the keris himself.

Supposedly Madurese men who joined the Dutch forces would take a keris of this style with them when they left to serve. Often the keris style reflected a Dutch motif or idea, which was believed to be a show of loyalty to the Dutch.

This particular "cat" style is supposed to represent the Dutch Lion of Orange.

I would gently suggest that these Madurese keris were never made as "tourist keris", they began as Madurese folk art, they were taken into Dutch service by Madurese mercenaries, and perhaps when the Madurese soldier returned home he might have sold or given his keris to a Dutch soldier.

These keris might have become "tourist objects" for the Dutch, but they never were this for the Madurese.

Yes Alan, i completely agree with this.

[Mickey the Finn]

Any insights into the origins of these Madurese "warangka kucing"? I've seen one or two before, and I happen to like cats, is all... I understand cats are the friend of the bibliophile, and that Islam has a certain affinity for cats... Why are cats not featured on handles? I've seen Youtube footage of a housecat sending an interloping cobra on it's way, but... Why on Madurese warangka, and no others that I know of? And I'm not concerned with the keris Singobarong (spelling as per Ki mpu Djeno Harumbrodjo) here; just the "cat warangka" (and any cat handles [no obviously leonine handles], whether they are Madurese or from somewhere else (if anyone knows of any from somewhere else in the Nusantara).

[A. G. Maisey]

Post #4.

The Dutch Lion of Orange.

[David]

Yes Mickey, as Alan has pointed out, the lion on this wrongko is a reference to the Dutch Lion of Orange. It has nothing to do with any Islamic beliefs or anything indigenous to Madurese culture.

[Mickey the Finn]

Thank you. I had thought that these warangka might have had an older, more esoteric origin and history, perhaps shrouded in the mists of antiquity.

The "mercenary motivation" casts a cold, clear light on the subject.

Mickey

[A. G. Maisey]

Mickey, I've just been rereading a few older threads, and I've noted your "mercenary"response.

I might be wrong, but I feel that I might not have been sufficiently clear in my earlier post.

My meaning of "mercenary" in my earlier post was intended to refer to soldiers who come from a different society than the country that they are serving, thus they are "mercenary soldiers", or "mercenaries".

Nothing to do with trade or commerce, except that they are selling their services.

The origin of this style of wrongko is the same as the other carved Madura wrongkos:- folk art.