Kamardikan Lombok or Bali kris (Hilt & Pamor question)

[milandro]

I just bought on a whim a Kamardikan Lombok or Bali kris, before I get chastised for it , I realise it may not meet the highest quality standards BUT, please humour me, my questions are not relative to the inherent quality of the kris.

What I would like to ask about is the the hilt ( does anyone think it shows any particular mythological figure ?) , another question is about the pamor, is this some variation of Beras Wuthah with hints of 'nkulit Semangka or does it contain those element along some form of Pamor Adeg in the equivalent on Lombok or less probably, Bali?


Thank you for your advise

[milandro]

I am overwhelmed by the responses

[JustYS]

Hi Milandro,

I’m probably wrong but I’ll take a jump.

The pamor can be Ilining Warih (sort of variation of Wos Wutah).

From the photo it seems that this keris is not polished like what we used to see in Balinese keris, do you know why?

Cheers,

[milandro]

Hello JustYS,

thank you very much for your response. Very useful food for thought.

The Balinese pamor Ilining Warih looks like a very good possibility.

I can definitely see the flowing water lines .


On de other hand this pamor appears to be called in different areas (Java) Adeg Rambut or Rambut (hair) which according to tradition would have different magical properties .

The blade is indeed not as polished as most of the older Balinese blades but is stil much smoother of many Javanese kisses in my possession. Also it is thinner and slightly shorter than my other Balinese kisses.

My hypothesis, given these things, is that this may be a simpler manufacture from Lombok.

[A. G. Maisey]

I'm really sorry that you have had to wait so long for some of us to respond to your question Milandro. A few hours can certainly seem like a very long time if one is stuck in an airport lounge or a bus-stop waiting room.

I cannot comment at all on who the character on the hilt might be, it is not any sort of traditional cultural depiction, & I believe only the carver might have some idea of whom it is supposed to represent.

From the photo of the blade I cannot tell if I am looking at pamor mlumah or pamor miring.

If it is pamor mlumah, it is as YS has said, wusing wutah, sub-category ilining warih, if it is pamor miring I don't know precisely how it should be named as a Balinese motif.

[milandro]

thanks


this appears to be a theme used by carvers on Lombok , I was given a few reference pictures (which I don't yet know if I can share) by my new friend Duncan of other hilts where a similar " mask" is carved or chiseled and it represents, apparently, one of the forms of a protective demon called Kala ( despite the lack of fangs )


These apparently are more than anything specific to Lombok and confirm my suspicion that this is a Kris from Lombok.

[A. G. Maisey]

Interesting.

[milandro]

Another hilt came my way few days after acquiring this kris, and , as it often happens to me, it felt " right".

So, I have replaced the previous CENANGAN, with another one. Carved in white water buffalo (one of my favourite materials) horn , I think it harmonises very well with this kris.

[David]

To my eye this is a more skillfully crafted hilt and does look nice with the ensemble. And of course, since you have an affinity for white buffalo horn, if it suits your tastes best that is what is ultimately important.