Ideas?

[RobT]

To A. G. Maisey,
Is the figure praying or is he holding something in his hands? Strange, he has no belly button.
Sincerely,
RobT

[A. G. Maisey]

Rob, I don't know what he's doing.

He might be praying. He might just be in a pensive pose. He's certainly not holding anything.

The major characteristic of this hilt is that it is craft work, it is not the product of a skilled carver, but something that an unskilled person has made to what I would call "village standard". It is definitely a keris hilt, not a pelecok handle.

What is the band around his head?

I'm not playing games here. I don't know what I'm looking at except that it is a keris hilt. From where, by whom, for what reason, I know not.

I acquired it in Jawa, but that does not necessarily mean it originated there, although that is probable.

As I said:- material for guesses--- but good ones.

[Michel]

I am sorry and I apologize for my impolite behavior.
I came in this thread like an elephant placing my hilt without explaining why I thought it was an information in complement to Alan hilt.
I did this very fast and without explaining my thoughts and when I read the complete thread today, I was shocked by my behavior. So sorry,excuse me.

The lady hilt seems to me as having a position very close to Alan's hilt. The hands position are not exactly similar but close enough. The face is not a demon face, in both cases, but is a real face, which is not often the case on kris hilts.
The lady hold a purse or something similar whereas the little lad on Alan's hilt do not hold anything but..
All in all both hilts have similarities.
I recognize it does not bring much answers to the question of Alan.
So I was probably wrong in bringing it into the discussion.
Sorry, regards
Michel

[Tim Simmons]

Alan I disagree with you ideas on village work. "Village work" is another one of those rather hackneyed collector terms. Look at how sensitively carved the gesture to the head is on that hilt. I will dare to suggest that primitive is not lacking in artistic expression or ability. When one comperes this example to many over done jewel encrusted gaudy examples perhaps you might see it in another light. Just compere the simple pleasing carving to the second example. I might suggest that the first example is an immediate personal response in a cultural frame work, where as the second example has been carved to please a third party. I confess to knowing nothing about this type of thing.

[A. G. Maisey]

Tim, you are of course free to disagree with anything that I, or anybody else may write, and I agree, my use of the terminology "village work" is a simplification.However, let us establish one thing:- I have not stated my ideas on village work, so it is not my ideas with which you disagree, but my terminology.

I simplified because I did wish to write extensively on the differences between the work of a professional tukang jejeran , and work done by a person for his own gratification.

The hilt of which I posted images is most definitely not the work of a professional carver. It is something that has been carved by an individual for his personal use. This individual would have been outside the influence of a kraton, and would very probably have lived in a rural situation.There is no doubt that this hilt shows considerable charm, and great sensitivity on the part of the carver, but it is not the work of a skilled person.This is what makes it unique, and why it should be carefully studied and thought upon, by any serious student of the keris.In my opinion, more can be learnt from this type of hilt, of the true meaning of the keris to people at the grassroots of the culture, than can be learnt from the over refined stylization to be found in kraton controlled examples.

To my way of thinking, this hilt is worthy of the closest attention. Far more so than the bulk of the ivory hilts that I posted to a different thread.

[A. G. Maisey]

Michel, you are a remarkably well mannered man, however, I personally do not consider your apology is at all necessary. There is some similarity between your hilt and the one I posted , but I do not think your hilt is folk work---I'll use "folk work" in deference to Tim's objection to my previous term "village work".

The execution of your hilt shows a degree of professionalism, and an understanding of traditional motifs. To me, it looks like something that was done in Madura, early in the current era. I have seen a great many hilts of similar quality that show totally uninterpretable representations of something or other. It is almost as if the carvers say to themselves---"well, I'm sick and tired of doing such and such, let's see what I can come up with today." They carve for commercial purposes, and they know the value of a unique representation.

[kai]

Hello Alan,

Thanks for posting this puzzling piece! Any pic of its base with the hole?

How long is the hilt?

Regards,
Kai