My new baby :)

[BluErf]

South Sumatran keris with sampir that looks like a kerbau head. I had another one a while back, but the sampir was not as defined as this. Will post some pics of that in the next post.

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

[BluErf]

The other one I used to have. While the hilt forms look like one of the Palembang forms, such kerises almost always have this figural hilt form, compared to the Palembang kerises, which are more commonly found with garuda hilts. I feel (yes, 'gut feel') that these sort of kerises are not Palembang kerises, but from 'off-centres' close to Palembang, much like the way off-central Javanese kerises are influenced by Solo and Yogya kerises, but bearing their own stylistic uniqueness.

[VVV]

Hi Kai Wee,

I haven't seen a Keris like that before.
It's also interesting with the protrusions at the lower part of the sampir.
The carvings on the hilt (Topeng?) and the "Batman ears".
Some claims this hilt to be Durga.
Maybe that's why the face carvings doesn't show eyes, nose etc. as expected on other hilts with this amount of carved motifs?
Do you know for sure that it's from off-Palembang?

Thanks for sharing,

Michael

[Alam Shah]

Congratulations BluErf on yet another nice-looking piece.


I've seen 'batman' pieces like these before far from Palembang.
The attached example was found in Tanjung Pinang, Bintan Islands,
(south east off Singapore). I'm not sure of the origin, though.

[David]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

I've seen 'batman' pieces like these before far from Palembang.
The attached example was found in Tanjung Pinang, Bintan Islands,
(south east off Singapore). I'm not sure of the origin, though.

I might be wrong, but i believe Michael was referring to the hilt with his "batman" attribution, not the sheath.
Very unusual keris Kai Wee (the first one). I have never seen this variation on this hilt form which is generally plain like your second example (is this one missing it's metal "ferrule"?). The carved markings are nice. And i agree with Michael, it does indeed resemble batman.

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by David

I might be wrong, but i believe Michael was referring to the hilt with his "batman" attribution, not the sheath.

David, I know Michael was referring to the hilt, but the sheath looks batman too, (to me, at least).

Originally Posted by David

Very unusual keris Kai Wee (the first one). I have never seen this variation on this hilt form which is generally plain like your second example (is this one missing it's metal "ferrule"?). The carved markings are nice. And i agree with Michael, it does indeed resemble batman.

The hilt is quite rare... I've seen it in Kerner's book (if I recall correctly). None physically.

The whole ensemble have Palembang influence, though.

[Battara]

BluErf I love the repousse on the mendek. Is it swaasa, gold, or gilded silver?

[BluErf]

Hi Michael,

It's only a gut feel that these kerises are 'off-Palembang'. The reason being I've not seen any particularly "high" or "refined" form of such keris forms. In addition, they have this 'kampung' quality and variation in styling which I associate with satellites of centres of power. The "variation in styling" being that they resemble Palembang kerises, but not quite. The strongest connection to Palembang comes from the hilt, which even in itself is varied. An archetypal Palembang hilt of this form would look like this:

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_photo.php

A slightly off-Palembang keris with similar hilt would look like this:

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

The difference between this "kerbau" keris hilt and the 2 linked above is that the body of the hilt is fatter and more boxy. The 'batman ears' are actually the 4 fringes of the crown. They are present in all examples, just that they're not so pronounced in the other 2.

I have seen a hilt resembing this "kerbau" keris hilt a couple of years back, on a small Palembang keris. That hilt also had some motif carvings on the body, but not as profuse as this. I think the motifs on the hilt are merely embellishments added by the carver, and not really part of an established pattern.

I'm trying to find out where the "kerbau" keris originated from the Indonesian source. Hopefully he has some answers.

Battara - I think the selut is gilded silver. The highpoints are more silver than the recessed areas. The pattern is not typical Palembang pattern too. Typical Palembang patterns does not employ such big flowers.

A couple Palembang seluts I have. I have a 3rd selut, really beat up, but with similar patterns:

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_photo.php

[Battara]

Thank you BluErf. Both are great examples of beautiful work. One day when I grow up I will be able to do that.

Another possiblity for the gold in the recesses - often they put a type of red chemical in the recesses that made the recesses darker (I have seen this with pieces done in swaasa as well). This could be the case with this mendak as well.

[VVV]

Shahrial,

I also thought both the cross-piece and the hilt looked "Batman".
But I didn't want to confuse the references because Kai Wee called it kerbau.
Seems as if we both liked Batman as kids.
But my favourite was the Phantom.

Kai Wee,

Thanks for your explanations and reference pictures.
Look forward to read some more when you have checked with your Indonesian source.

Michael

[David]

Originally Posted by VVV

I also thought both the cross-piece and the hilt looked "Batman".
But I didn't want to confuse the references because Kai Wee called it kerbau.
Seems as if we both liked Batman as kids.
But my favourite was the Phantom. Michael

Well, i suppose it is possible that Batman had a keris somewhere on his utility belt.