BLING

A. G. Maisey · 27th May 2018, 10:13 AM

I was in Bali recently, and as usual I did the required visit to the Neka Museum in Ubud.

There are quite a few more older keris there now than the last time I went there in 2016. Amongst these older keris are two royal keris from Karangasem.

I apologise for the photos. It is more than a little bit difficult to photograph display items in this museum, unless you are lucky with time of day and light, I've been there a number of times, but I just haven't got the timing figured out yet.

Anyway, these two take the blue ribbon in the bling stakes.

Battara · 27th May 2018, 08:29 PM

I apologize to everyone but the noise you heard was my eyes hitting the floor. I’ve now put them back into my skull! 😳

Bob A · 27th May 2018, 10:12 PM

Nothing exceeds like excess.

That said, there's room in my collection for these, but insufficient volume in the exchequer.

Marcokeris · 27th May 2018, 10:42 PM

Javanese keris forever

David · 27th May 2018, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

Javanese keris forever

Well, i happen to be a big fan of Bali keris, but i understand you thought here Marco. I prefer my keris just a bit more understated than these. A bit of gold is one thing, but i am afraid i am simply not royal enough for these.

A. G. Maisey · 27th May 2018, 11:14 PM

If ya got it --- flaunt it.

Roland_M · 28th May 2018, 01:30 PM

Alan,

these are wonderful Keris. Imho a little bit too much decoration but this is subjective and it is most difficult to find the perfect balance. European aristocratic swords of the renaissance are also hopelessly overdecorated in many cases.

I have one question, the Cocetan got a symbol on its base, which looks like an eye in flames, similar to the eye in the pyramid.
Is this an eye and what is the meaning of this detail?

Roland

A. G. Maisey · 28th May 2018, 02:58 PM

Roland, this motif is upside down in the larger image, I've cropped it and turned it right way up.

It is the Karang Bintulu motif.

This is a common "fill" motif in Balinese art, the motif consists of a bulging eye above a row of teeth and tusks, above the eye we usually find a mountain. The eye and teeth relate back to the well known Kala or Bhoma motif that we find above gateways, the mountain or rock relates back to the Gunungan, a foundation motif of indigenous belief. F. Bosch believed that the Kala motif was influenced by Surya (The Sun).

In this representation of the Karang Bintulu the Gunungan form is rendered in a form that resembles flames, so the flames are probably indicative of the influence of Surya.

Since the bintulu relates to Bhoma, and Bhoma is a protective motif, the bintulu can also be interpreted as a protective motif, even though it is only a fill motif, never a dominant motif.

The Gunungan motif is perhaps the most frequently encountered motif in Indonesian art, it combines references to Mt. Meru (dwelling place of the Gods), Siwa, The Ancestors, the Meru (the Balinese multi roofed shrine) and combined with a Bhoma reference it completes the foundation stone of Balinese/ Javanese traditional belief, as Bhoma, who is the son of Wisnu and Basundari, is the child of water and of earth, since water and earth result is plant growth, and plant growth for farmers is essential for prosperity, Bhoma is protective of earthly well being. Balinese are mostly farmers.

David · 28th May 2018, 04:16 PM

Alan, thanks for the explanation of the Karang Bintulu motif.
Certainly you are correct that kings do not dress their keris the same way as farmers do. I believe that is way many of us find these keris a little too blingy for our personal tastes. We are farmers...or at least, not kings.

I do actually like the kocetan hilt however, though i find the other one (do you recognize who it represents?) quite ugly. The gold work on the sheaths gives me the impression of new work, though i suppose it could be new goldsmithing done over older wooden sheath. As you say, that doesn't really matter in this context as new dress is a common and expected thing within the culture. It's only us collectors who seem to value preserving old and original dress.
It isn't really easy to get more than an overview of these keris from these photos and there is so much kinatah on the blades that it is difficult to get a good sense of the garap of the blades, but i would image that given the provenance they are probably well conceived beneath all that gold.

Roland_M · 28th May 2018, 04:24 PM

Alan,

thank you very much for your comprehensive explanation. Your wisdom and knowledge always impresses me!

Roland

Sajen · 28th May 2018, 05:49 PM

Thank you Alan for sharing!

The dress maybe more recent, probably is, but the Balinese ethic in respect of keris dress is very considerably different to the tastes of collectors in the world outside Bali.

This I can confirm! When I have had some years ago the privilege to see the private collection of a Balinese he noticed that the blade of a short pedang get rust because the blade has had contact with the beautiful antique scabbard. He told me that he will throw away this scabbard and will order a new one for his pedang.

It's a nice story which show the local value of an antique scabbard for a Balinese.

mariusgmioc · 28th May 2018, 05:58 PM

If I like these kerises... a lot, does it make me royal?! At least in tastes?!

27th May 2018, 10:13 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	BLING I was in Bali recently, and as usual I did the required visit to the Neka Museum in Ubud. There are quite a few more older keris there now than the last time I went there in 2016. Amongst these older keris are two royal keris from Karangasem. I apologise for the photos. It is more than a little bit difficult to photograph display items in this museum, unless you are lucky with time of day and light, I've been there a number of times, but I just haven't got the timing figured out yet. Anyway, these two take the blue ribbon in the bling stakes. Attached Images

28th May 2018, 01:30 PM	#7
Roland_M Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 525	Alan, these are wonderful Keris. Imho a little bit too much decoration but this is subjective and it is most difficult to find the perfect balance. European aristocratic swords of the renaissance are also hopelessly overdecorated in many cases. I have one question, the Cocetan got a symbol on its base, which looks like an eye in flames, similar to the eye in the pyramid. Is this an eye and what is the meaning of this detail? Roland Attached Images

28th May 2018, 02:58 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Roland, this motif is upside down in the larger image, I've cropped it and turned it right way up. It is the Karang Bintulu motif. This is a common "fill" motif in Balinese art, the motif consists of a bulging eye above a row of teeth and tusks, above the eye we usually find a mountain. The eye and teeth relate back to the well known Kala or Bhoma motif that we find above gateways, the mountain or rock relates back to the Gunungan, a foundation motif of indigenous belief. F. Bosch believed that the Kala motif was influenced by Surya (The Sun). In this representation of the Karang Bintulu the Gunungan form is rendered in a form that resembles flames, so the flames are probably indicative of the influence of Surya. Since the bintulu relates to Bhoma, and Bhoma is a protective motif, the bintulu can also be interpreted as a protective motif, even though it is only a fill motif, never a dominant motif. The Gunungan motif is perhaps the most frequently encountered motif in Indonesian art, it combines references to Mt. Meru (dwelling place of the Gods), Siwa, The Ancestors, the Meru (the Balinese multi roofed shrine) and combined with a Bhoma reference it completes the foundation stone of Balinese/ Javanese traditional belief, as Bhoma, who is the son of Wisnu and Basundari, is the child of water and of earth, since water and earth result is plant growth, and plant growth for farmers is essential for prosperity, Bhoma is protective of earthly well being. Balinese are mostly farmers. Attached Images

27th May 2018, 08:29 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	I apologize to everyone but the noise you heard was my eyes hitting the floor. I’ve now put them back into my skull! 😳

27th May 2018, 10:12 PM	#3
Bob A Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 427	Nothing exceeds like excess. That said, there's room in my collection for these, but insufficient volume in the exchequer.

27th May 2018, 10:42 PM	#4
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	Javanese keris forever

27th May 2018, 11:14 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	If ya got it --- flaunt it.

28th May 2018, 04:16 PM	#9
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	Alan, thanks for the explanation of the Karang Bintulu motif. Certainly you are correct that kings do not dress their keris the same way as farmers do. I believe that is way many of us find these keris a little too blingy for our personal tastes. We are farmers...or at least, not kings. I do actually like the kocetan hilt however, though i find the other one (do you recognize who it represents?) quite ugly. The gold work on the sheaths gives me the impression of new work, though i suppose it could be new goldsmithing done over older wooden sheath. As you say, that doesn't really matter in this context as new dress is a common and expected thing within the culture. It's only us collectors who seem to value preserving old and original dress. It isn't really easy to get more than an overview of these keris from these photos and there is so much kinatah on the blades that it is difficult to get a good sense of the garap of the blades, but i would image that given the provenance they are probably well conceived beneath all that gold.

28th May 2018, 04:24 PM	#10
Roland_M Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 525	Alan, thank you very much for your comprehensive explanation. Your wisdom and knowledge always impresses me! Roland

28th May 2018, 05:49 PM	#11
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,779	Thank you Alan for sharing! The dress maybe more recent, probably is, but the Balinese ethic in respect of keris dress is very considerably different to the tastes of collectors in the world outside Bali. This I can confirm! When I have had some years ago the privilege to see the private collection of a Balinese he noticed that the blade of a short pedang get rust because the blade has had contact with the beautiful antique scabbard. He told me that he will throw away this scabbard and will order a new one for his pedang. It's a nice story which show the local value of an antique scabbard for a Balinese.

28th May 2018, 05:58 PM	#12
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	If I like these kerises... a lot, does it make me royal?! At least in tastes?!