Java keris with unusual sarung, blade puthut

Sajen · 30th September 2018, 03:33 PM

Just have received this unusual keris puthut, I never have seen before such a scabbard, my best guess would be that it is from East-Java or from the North coast, I am unsure about the blade since one of the previous owners seems to have cleaned the blade but it look like it was made this way originally. All comments are very welcome!
480 mm long in the scabbard, 390 mm without, blade without pesi 280 mm.

Athanase · 30th September 2018, 05:23 PM

For me it's possibly East Java, but I'm not sure because I've never seen this form of sheath and blade.
This keris is very original, I love it!

Sajen · 30th September 2018, 06:35 PM

Thank you again Severin!

So I am not alone not to have seen this scabbard style before!

It look like everything have been together for some time, also the fit from the blade inside scabbard is a fairly good one.

Regards,
Detlef

David · 30th September 2018, 08:16 PM

The wrongko looks unusual to me as well, though i see why you suggest a possible East Jawa origin.
Unusual blade as well. I would not argue against it being puthut, but i wonder if that is its true intent.
While this seems to be a nicely formed Surakarta hilt it looks wrong with the rest of this ensemble, even when just looking at the blade without the sheath. Are you considering swapping it out?

Sajen · 30th September 2018, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

The wrongko looks unusual to me as well, though i see why you suggest a possible East Jawa origin.

It was once a worthy wrongko, iras carved, sadly it's broken but hidden from the pendhok. I think that the North coast could be the origin as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Unusual blade as well. I would not argue against it being puthut, but i wonder if that is its true intent.

I am unsure about this also when it look genuine too my eyes. When it is etched one day we will maybe know more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

While this seems to be a nicely formed Surakarta hilt it looks wrong with the rest of this ensemble, even when just looking at the blade without the sheath. Are you considering swapping it out?

You are correct David but I want to show the keris like received. But it would be great to know from where the scabbard coming to change the hilt to a better fitting one.

Regards,
Detlef

A. G. Maisey · 30th September 2018, 11:29 PM

Anybody here remember The Grinch?

How about Ebenezer Scrooge?

Well, during my life time I've been confused with both these loveable characters, so if anybody wishes to address me as "Grinchy" or "Eben", that will not offend me in the slightest.

There are several things that disturb me with this keris:-

1) the mendak is old, it looks as if it has been in place for a long time, but it is incomplete, I believe that when the hilt is removed the mendak will be found to be damaged

2) the wrongko is one-of-a kind, it reminds me a little bit of a style that is usually attributed to Banyumas, but it is not exactly the same as that style, just tending towards it. I do not know how many keris I have seen and handled, but it is certainly into the five figure level. I have never seen this exact style previously. Why?

3) the pendok is an old fitting to this wrongko, but it had been used on a different wrongko before it was fitted to this one.

4) I have real problems with the blade, the thing that immediately strikes my eye is that the tail of the gonjo declines to the blade, this characteristic is associated with a North Coast classification, however, there is an odo-odo, and that should not be present with a gonjo of this style.
Then there is the mating of the gonjo to the wilah, it is very imprecise, except where the puthut meets the gonjo, and the puthut itself has much cleaner and sharper edges than the edges of the gonjo. Why?
The surface of the wilah and the surface of the gonjo do not have a similar degree of polish. Why?

This ensemble raises far too many questions for me. I look at it, and I immediately remember the very large old Tuban blades that were re-manufactured into more desirable forms in the late colonial period. I am not saying that this blade is one of these re-manufactures, but I am saying that it displays too many inconsistencies and raises too many questions. One thing that is rather amusing is that these large old Tuban blades that nobody wanted in the past are now extremely desirable and quite expensive collector's items, for the simple reason that not many of them survived the re-manufacture process.

The man who became Panembahan Harjonagoro (Go Tik Swan) was a renowned collector of Javanese and Indonesian art, especially keris. He was regarded by many people who were outside the core Solonese keris community as perhaps the greatest authority on the Javanese keris during post-WWII period. By the dealer community in Solo he was regarded as a very desirable client, for the simple reason that he was a 99% certain probability to buy any unusual keris that was presented to him. This of course had the predictable effect, and several talented craftsmen were very grateful to God and their ancestors for giving them Go Tik Swan.

Whenever I see a keris I have not seen before I remind myself that I am not anywhere near as wealthy as was Go Tik Swan.

Sajen · 1st October 2018, 12:35 AM

Hello Alan,
thank you very much for comment, food for thought.
It's late here in Germany and I have to work tomorrow again so only short.
You are correct, the mendak seems to be damaged, like you I am nearly sure about this.
The wrongko is definitively old/antique and very well used over a long time while I agree that the pendok is fitted later to it but this with some understanding and I agree again that it was some time with this wrongko.

I've bought this keris for the price of a two person meal by McDonalds only because I want to be able to handle this unusual piece.
Here two pictures from the auction.
Regards,
Detlef

A. G. Maisey · 1st October 2018, 12:45 AM

Yes Detlef, everything has a value, so it doesn't matter what something is, if you can buy below perceived value, you have a bargain.

Incidentally, I did not mention this previously, but the auction pics drive it home:- the hilt is incorrect, certainly in respect of proportion, possibly in respect of style.

I don't like Maccas much, Hungry Jack/Burger King is better in all respects --- at least here in Australia that is so.

30th September 2018, 03:33 PM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Java keris with unusual sarung, blade puthut Just have received this unusual keris puthut, I never have seen before such a scabbard, my best guess would be that it is from East-Java or from the North coast, I am unsure about the blade since one of the previous owners seems to have cleaned the blade but it look like it was made this way originally. All comments are very welcome! 480 mm long in the scabbard, 390 mm without, blade without pesi 280 mm. Attached Images

1st October 2018, 12:35 AM	#7
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Hello Alan, thank you very much for comment, food for thought. It's late here in Germany and I have to work tomorrow again so only short. You are correct, the mendak seems to be damaged, like you I am nearly sure about this. The wrongko is definitively old/antique and very well used over a long time while I agree that the pendok is fitted later to it but this with some understanding and I agree again that it was some time with this wrongko. I've bought this keris for the price of a two person meal by McDonalds only because I want to be able to handle this unusual piece. Here two pictures from the auction. Regards, Detlef Attached Images

30th September 2018, 05:23 PM	#2
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 408	For me it's possibly East Java, but I'm not sure because I've never seen this form of sheath and blade. This keris is very original, I love it!

30th September 2018, 06:35 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Thank you again Severin! So I am not alone not to have seen this scabbard style before! It look like everything have been together for some time, also the fit from the blade inside scabbard is a fairly good one. Regards, Detlef

30th September 2018, 08:16 PM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	The wrongko looks unusual to me as well, though i see why you suggest a possible East Jawa origin. Unusual blade as well. I would not argue against it being puthut, but i wonder if that is its true intent. While this seems to be a nicely formed Surakarta hilt it looks wrong with the rest of this ensemble, even when just looking at the blade without the sheath. Are you considering swapping it out?

30th September 2018, 11:29 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Anybody here remember The Grinch? How about Ebenezer Scrooge? Well, during my life time I've been confused with both these loveable characters, so if anybody wishes to address me as "Grinchy" or "Eben", that will not offend me in the slightest. There are several things that disturb me with this keris:- 1) the mendak is old, it looks as if it has been in place for a long time, but it is incomplete, I believe that when the hilt is removed the mendak will be found to be damaged 2) the wrongko is one-of-a kind, it reminds me a little bit of a style that is usually attributed to Banyumas, but it is not exactly the same as that style, just tending towards it. I do not know how many keris I have seen and handled, but it is certainly into the five figure level. I have never seen this exact style previously. Why? 3) the pendok is an old fitting to this wrongko, but it had been used on a different wrongko before it was fitted to this one. 4) I have real problems with the blade, the thing that immediately strikes my eye is that the tail of the gonjo declines to the blade, this characteristic is associated with a North Coast classification, however, there is an odo-odo, and that should not be present with a gonjo of this style. Then there is the mating of the gonjo to the wilah, it is very imprecise, except where the puthut meets the gonjo, and the puthut itself has much cleaner and sharper edges than the edges of the gonjo. Why? The surface of the wilah and the surface of the gonjo do not have a similar degree of polish. Why? This ensemble raises far too many questions for me. I look at it, and I immediately remember the very large old Tuban blades that were re-manufactured into more desirable forms in the late colonial period. I am not saying that this blade is one of these re-manufactures, but I am saying that it displays too many inconsistencies and raises too many questions. One thing that is rather amusing is that these large old Tuban blades that nobody wanted in the past are now extremely desirable and quite expensive collector's items, for the simple reason that not many of them survived the re-manufacture process. The man who became Panembahan Harjonagoro (Go Tik Swan) was a renowned collector of Javanese and Indonesian art, especially keris. He was regarded by many people who were outside the core Solonese keris community as perhaps the greatest authority on the Javanese keris during post-WWII period. By the dealer community in Solo he was regarded as a very desirable client, for the simple reason that he was a 99% certain probability to buy any unusual keris that was presented to him. This of course had the predictable effect, and several talented craftsmen were very grateful to God and their ancestors for giving them Go Tik Swan. Whenever I see a keris I have not seen before I remind myself that I am not anywhere near as wealthy as was Go Tik Swan.

1st October 2018, 12:45 AM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Yes Detlef, everything has a value, so it doesn't matter what something is, if you can buy below perceived value, you have a bargain. Incidentally, I did not mention this previously, but the auction pics drive it home:- the hilt is incorrect, certainly in respect of proportion, possibly in respect of style. I don't like Maccas much, Hungry Jack/Burger King is better in all respects --- at least here in Australia that is so.