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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 368
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Hi guys,
I just acquired a bugis kerdas kemoh hilt. Will post the pictures tomorow. Looks old and I had already cleaned it. Do u think polishing the hilt is a good move? I read that Blu mentioned that newly made kemo hilts are highly polished. How to determine the age? Does the unusual shape of this kemo is a sign that it is recently made? Anybody had ever seen a kerdas kemo? I'm quite puzzled now. Help please.. ![]() |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Penang
Posts: 14
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I have never witnessed any kerdas kemo hilt ever since my long pursuance of this form 10 yrs ago but your finding is sure something alarming. Do not confuse with kerdas bone hilts. It doesnt matter, old or newly made because owning kemo as hilt form is damn lucky. Nobody would want to do it for you, longer time taken and too complex doing it. I am a great collector of this hilt, presently owning 3 jawa demam kemos. I even tried to make one out my giant kemo but honestly speaking, it needs real patience and skill. Cutting is a problem, shaping is another. Hard but breakable. As far as I know, Kemo hilts existed as early as 1700s, nearby sea surrounding countries esp. Sulawesi, Patani,Trengganu. The only disadvantage is that it looks horrible without polishing it. How sure yours is kemo? Bone?
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 368
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Thanks Sakhti, so, do i need to polish it? Does others agree?
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Penang
Posts: 14
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Rasdan, if yours is kemo, soak it lime juice and clean wash and try waxing it and see the effect, otherwise let it be in original state. it will look dull though
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,248
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Rasdan, where's the piece?... you can post the 'before' first...
I Last edited by Alam Shah; 31st March 2005 at 02:12 AM. |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 940
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Hi Rasdan. Is this the hilt that MyKeris sold in the swap forum?
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 278
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Nechesh, the clam hilt that I posted in the swap forum was a large Pekaka motif, as according to Paul (message). I suppose, Rasdan`s hilt will be a different one.
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#8 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 940
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Cool. I just thought that if we were talking about that hilt there woulde already be a photo posted to refer to.
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 368
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Hi guys
![]() Heres the hilt. I only cleaned it from dirt and what ever it is that makes it looks dirty. Sorry, improper lighting. Took it last night. But i think its the low light that depicts the tru state of the hilt. Its a bit brighter than that however. ![]() |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Penang
Posts: 14
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Great kerdas form but bit skeptical on its kemo origin unless you exhibit more close-up pictures revealing its natural genetic lines or else could be synthetic / animal bones /mixture of natural and non-natural elements processed in Thailand. High grade kemo hilts should emphasize the following: heaviness, color, natural lines and clarity.
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#11 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 368
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Hi Sakhti,
I'm still learning how to use the camera properly. All those apature and ISO setting really confuses me. Will try to take better ones. ![]() |
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#12 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,180
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Notice the black inclusion on the hilt. Mine has those too. So does the one Dave posted a while back. I think it's real kemoh.
The form of the kerdas hilt is ok, but not great. But of course, we must take into consideration that kemoh is very difficult to carve. |
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#13 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 368
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Thanks Blu,
The hilt does have some carved lines like the tyical Bugis hilt, but it is barely visible. The lines are at the "cheek" , back of the balung and the forehead. Any idea to determine wheather is old or new? |
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#14 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,200
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For the phenominally ignorant, what is kemoh?
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#15 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 940
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Come on Jose, don't you know by now that we keris enthusiasts love to use all kinds of words and terms to keep the uninitiated in the dark?
![]() ![]() Really, i believe it is just a local term for the type of giant clam shell used for this hilt. Then again, it could really mean....... ![]() |
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#16 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 368
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Hi Jose,
Actually even kemoh is a north eastern dialact. The accepted malay word is Kima. In English it is Tridacna. Sorry for the misunderstanding. ![]() |
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#17 | |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,180
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