Bali hilt
 

I found this handle in the net (asian art museum San Francisco)

A masterwork of carving, love the uwer from the same material (ivory).

Thank you for show us this beauty Marco.

Incredible detail. Truly deserves to be called a work of art!

Do you know whom is portrayed?

Wow... :)

Well I do know it is a demon for sure. What I am not sure is which one. I am wondering if it is Ravana, king of the demons from the Ramayana.

Is he holding a weapon of some kind?

Wisnu in his incarnation as Kresna had a conch shell as a weapon --- Si Sangka Panacajaniya --- he had taken this conch shell from a demon, maybe this is supposed to be this demon, but I don't know his name.

It is worth noting that in Balinese representations of Hindu characters --- gods, demons etc --- the carver very often gives his own interpretation and sometimes gets things a bit mixed up. Particularly so in relatively modern carvings.

Alan,

What age would you give this piece?

Too big a guess mate. Can't do it.

Ivory? De-natured antler? Bone?

How carved?

Can't tell these things from the pic.

Yes, its neat work, but I have Bali hilts done within the last five years that are as good, or maybe better.

However, after saying all that, I reckon its probably post 1930's. I say that only because I haven't seen a hell of a lot of really fine carving in hilts that pre-dates the upsurge in Balinese art that took place after European artists began to influence style and execution.

The best Bali carver that I know of is IB Pastika, Bali.
He is fully booked and due to his age there will a long queue if we can get one ( took years)

If I comparing with this quality carving from the picture, I still think this is picture (post#1) still better from what I have seen from him. May be because I only seen less than 5 of his work. :D

I still love Pastika work though. ...

Rasjid

Yeah, Ida Bagus Pastika's work is good. His interpretation of standard Balinese form has a liveliness that most other carvers seem to have difficulty in capturing --- including the carver who did the hilt in the SF musium.

Actually I don't like this musium hilt much, it is too fussy for my taste. The degree of skill required to carve it was high, but there is too much unnecessary detail which detracts from the possibility of a dynamic form. Still, I guess its all a matter of taste.

How about this one Alan?

This is less complicated. .. its already 3D carving but is not too much detail?

Yes, I do prefer that one, Rasjid.

This one I've posted a pic of is an older hilt, and very substantial, there is nothing delicate nor extreme in the carving, it was made with the intention of use, not just as an exercise to display the skill of the carver.

This is the style of execution I prefer in Balinese hilts, but it is rarely encountered in recently made hilts.

Recently in Bali few years back started to have decent supply moose material.
This is the finished carving, white in colour as well. It will give a very smooth finish as well, better than bone finished.

Personally I do not like it very much, compared to ivory- this is too soft.
The carving can be done much easier on this material but ivory will last longer.

Hope the info useful.
Thanks