Show Us Your Akar Bahar

Rick · 26th September 2015, 02:38 AM

Here are my examples; way too small to use for more than jewelry .

Black Coral is said by various cultures to have talismanic value; does anyone else here have perhaps a kris hilt or sewar hilt, or other ethno items made from this material ?

Sajen · 26th September 2015, 04:42 PM

Hi Rick,

can add two rentjong hilts.

Here the first one, the second one will follow soon.

Sajen · 26th September 2015, 04:47 PM

Here the other one.

Battara · 27th September 2015, 05:37 AM

Here is my rencong example which can be found here:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=Rencong+gold

Rick · 27th September 2015, 05:37 PM

It's amazing how nicely this stuff polishes up . With a high shine it seems almost like the black material is absorbing light .
Akar Bahar also comes in white; has anyone an example of white akar bahar ?

Battara · 27th September 2015, 09:03 PM

Just for clarity, the end tip of my rencong is not white coral but an ivory replacement much later.

Rick · 27th September 2015, 11:43 PM

A search provides this example .
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16797

A. G. Maisey · 30th September 2015, 05:18 AM

back in the 1960's and 1970's there was heaps of this stuff available in bali, mostly in the form of bracelets, i had a lot and most have been given away.

i'm not home right now, but when i get back i'll dig out what i can find and post. got some bits of red stuff too.

don't have any keris hilts of it, wouldn't mind one.

Loedjoe · 14th October 2015, 08:42 AM

A few more examples. The peurawot bought from BataviaCollectables.com (many thanks, Maurice)

A. G. Maisey · 14th October 2015, 11:28 PM

Here is a knife handle, sorry, no blade at the moment, that is being cleaned and stained.

I've got a few pieces of this stuff, but this handle was the only piece I could put my hand on without searching.

Battara · 16th October 2015, 11:31 PM

So what is the nature of black coral's talismanic properties?

BTW - great examples folks!

A. G. Maisey · 18th October 2015, 12:37 AM

I have acquired all of the black coral I've had over the years in Bali. In the 1960's through into the 1980's there were always a lot of black coral bracelets on offer, souvenir quality through to very nice jewellery pieces, however, in recent years it has just about disappeared, I did see a few bracelets for sale in April of this year, but nothing I'd spend money on.

Anyway, in the '70's it was sold as a potent protection against spells and black magic, and many Balinese people used to, and still do wear it.

A. G. Maisey · 12th November 2015, 03:53 AM

I knew I had these somewhere. Found them shifting stuff around so my painters could do some work.

Black coral bracelets, Bali, around 1974.

apolaki · 10th January 2016, 01:40 AM

Here is mine. It is shaped like a finger and even has a finger nail!

A. G. Maisey · 10th January 2016, 08:44 AM

Pretty useful.

Good for driving in traffic.

26th September 2015, 02:38 AM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Show Us Your Akar Bahar Here are my examples; way too small to use for more than jewelry . Black Coral is said by various cultures to have talismanic value; does anyone else here have perhaps a kris hilt or sewar hilt, or other ethno items made from this material ? Attached Images

26th September 2015, 04:42 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Hi Rick, can add two rentjong hilts. Here the first one, the second one will follow soon. Attached Images

26th September 2015, 04:47 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Here the other one. Attached Images

27th September 2015, 05:37 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Here is my rencong example which can be found here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=Rencong+gold Attached Images

14th October 2015, 08:42 AM	#9
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	A few more examples. The peurawot bought from BataviaCollectables.com (many thanks, Maurice) Attached Images

27th September 2015, 05:37 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	It's amazing how nicely this stuff polishes up . With a high shine it seems almost like the black material is absorbing light . Akar Bahar also comes in white; has anyone an example of white akar bahar ?

27th September 2015, 09:03 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Just for clarity, the end tip of my rencong is not white coral but an ivory replacement much later.

27th September 2015, 11:43 PM	#7
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	A search provides this example . http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16797

30th September 2015, 05:18 AM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	back in the 1960's and 1970's there was heaps of this stuff available in bali, mostly in the form of bracelets, i had a lot and most have been given away. i'm not home right now, but when i get back i'll dig out what i can find and post. got some bits of red stuff too. don't have any keris hilts of it, wouldn't mind one.

14th October 2015, 11:28 PM	#10
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Here is a knife handle, sorry, no blade at the moment, that is being cleaned and stained. I've got a few pieces of this stuff, but this handle was the only piece I could put my hand on without searching. Attached Images

16th October 2015, 11:31 PM	#11
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	So what is the nature of black coral's talismanic properties? BTW - great examples folks!

18th October 2015, 12:37 AM	#12
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	I have acquired all of the black coral I've had over the years in Bali. In the 1960's through into the 1980's there were always a lot of black coral bracelets on offer, souvenir quality through to very nice jewellery pieces, however, in recent years it has just about disappeared, I did see a few bracelets for sale in April of this year, but nothing I'd spend money on. Anyway, in the '70's it was sold as a potent protection against spells and black magic, and many Balinese people used to, and still do wear it.

12th November 2015, 03:53 AM	#13
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	I knew I had these somewhere. Found them shifting stuff around so my painters could do some work. Black coral bracelets, Bali, around 1974. Attached Images

10th January 2016, 01:40 AM	#14
apolaki Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 160	Here is mine. It is shaped like a finger and even has a finger nail! Attached Images

10th January 2016, 08:44 AM	#15
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Pretty useful. Good for driving in traffic.