A Cirebon (put-together) keris

BluErf · 13th December 2008, 03:52 AM

We often see Cirebon hilts floating around, not attached to Cirebon kerises. Also never really saw any good Cirebon kerises in private collections (ok, maybe Mr Karsten Jensen has a couple of really good ones). At least until recently when a fellow forumnite posted some pictures of a couple of superb Cirebon keris sheaths. But the question again - where are the Cirebon kerises!

Having half given-up hope on getting a decent Cirebon keris, this one came along. Ok, the blade is not original to the sheath, but at least it was patched nicely. Blade is bearable, but comes with a very nice scent. Someone has been treating the blade very nicely before selling it.

It came with a nice Yogya hilt, which I have since transposed onto a Yogya keris. And on it, I've placed a hilt I got from another fellow forumnite. I tried a few wooden ones, but those were black, and black-hilt-on-black-sheath just doesn't cut it. So on goes this slightly eclectic hilt.

So there it is - my Cirebon (put-together) keris, and I think its quite decent (at least from my extremely limited understanding of Cirebon kerises)

VVV · 13th December 2008, 08:15 AM

The hilt doesn't look Cirebon to me

Isn't it from the NE coast?

Michael

Marcokeris · 13th December 2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVV

The hilt doesn't look Cirebon to me

Isn't it from the NE coast?

Michael

it's also my opinion

BluErf · 13th December 2008, 01:34 PM

Ya, I suppose the hilt is more Tegal than Cirebon. But I guess Tegal, being 100km away from Cirebon only, could be pretty "close cousins".

Maybe until I get an ivory or bone Cirebon hilt, I guess I'd be keeping the hilt on the keris 1st. At any rate, beats being matched with the Yogya hilt, I think!

Marcokeris · 13th December 2008, 03:20 PM

BluErf
Your nice ivory hit could be from Tegal (of course Cirebon style)... but there is something in the form (Nyamba ???) that tell me it could also comes from the area that runs from Madura till to the Jawa's cost in front of Balì.
To explain better i put here a photo of a hit that, i suppose, comes from this area.
About the blade IMO it could be done in Madura

BluErf · 14th December 2008, 12:54 AM

Hey Marcos,

That's a mighty interesting hilt you have!

Pg63 of Kerner's big book has a set of 4 pics of hilts attributed to the Nyamba style. Kerner wrote (ok, we have take with a pinch of salt) that Nyamba hilts were known only as metal hilts, and those 4 examples had almost a comical look. Yours had the same features, but a more dignified look, and not covered in motifs.

Though one question - is Nyamba a city or region name? Was trying to google to find out, but they led to keris auction descriptions and not much else.

Perhaps Tunggulametung could help throw some light on where my hilt was acquired?

And the blade - oh yes, definitely there's a chance it came from Madura.

But at any rate, it's bearable. The few older Cirebon sheaths I've seen almost always was made for blades with big robust ganja. So that's something to be said about the current small petite little blade in it.

A. G. Maisey · 14th December 2008, 01:58 AM

Try googling nyamba + wayang---that'll give you answers.

Blade is dhapur kebo kanthong, its Javanese.

BluErf · 14th December 2008, 03:02 AM

Thanks Alan. Another question - could this dhapur be attributed to a more specific region of Java, or can this reasonably be found in many parts of Java?

13th December 2008, 03:52 AM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	A Cirebon (put-together) keris We often see Cirebon hilts floating around, not attached to Cirebon kerises. Also never really saw any good Cirebon kerises in private collections (ok, maybe Mr Karsten Jensen has a couple of really good ones). At least until recently when a fellow forumnite posted some pictures of a couple of superb Cirebon keris sheaths. But the question again - where are the Cirebon kerises! Having half given-up hope on getting a decent Cirebon keris, this one came along. Ok, the blade is not original to the sheath, but at least it was patched nicely. Blade is bearable, but comes with a very nice scent. Someone has been treating the blade very nicely before selling it. It came with a nice Yogya hilt, which I have since transposed onto a Yogya keris. And on it, I've placed a hilt I got from another fellow forumnite. I tried a few wooden ones, but those were black, and black-hilt-on-black-sheath just doesn't cut it. So on goes this slightly eclectic hilt. So there it is - my Cirebon (put-together) keris, and I think its quite decent (at least from my extremely limited understanding of Cirebon kerises) Attached Images Last edited by BluErf; 13th December 2008 at 04:21 AM.

13th December 2008, 03:20 PM	#5
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	BluErf Your nice ivory hit could be from Tegal (of course Cirebon style)... but there is something in the form (Nyamba ???) that tell me it could also comes from the area that runs from Madura till to the Jawa's cost in front of Balì. To explain better i put here a photo of a hit that, i suppose, comes from this area. About the blade IMO it could be done in Madura Attached Images Last edited by Marcokeris; 13th December 2008 at 03:42 PM.

13th December 2008, 08:15 AM	#2
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	The hilt doesn't look Cirebon to me Isn't it from the NE coast? Michael

13th December 2008, 01:34 PM	#4
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Ya, I suppose the hilt is more Tegal than Cirebon. But I guess Tegal, being 100km away from Cirebon only, could be pretty "close cousins". Maybe until I get an ivory or bone Cirebon hilt, I guess I'd be keeping the hilt on the keris 1st. At any rate, beats being matched with the Yogya hilt, I think!

14th December 2008, 12:54 AM	#6
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Hey Marcos, That's a mighty interesting hilt you have! Pg63 of Kerner's big book has a set of 4 pics of hilts attributed to the Nyamba style. Kerner wrote (ok, we have take with a pinch of salt) that Nyamba hilts were known only as metal hilts, and those 4 examples had almost a comical look. Yours had the same features, but a more dignified look, and not covered in motifs. Though one question - is Nyamba a city or region name? Was trying to google to find out, but they led to keris auction descriptions and not much else. Perhaps Tunggulametung could help throw some light on where my hilt was acquired? And the blade - oh yes, definitely there's a chance it came from Madura. But at any rate, it's bearable. The few older Cirebon sheaths I've seen almost always was made for blades with big robust ganja. So that's something to be said about the current small petite little blade in it.

14th December 2008, 01:58 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,887	Try googling nyamba + wayang---that'll give you answers. Blade is dhapur kebo kanthong, its Javanese.

14th December 2008, 03:02 AM	#8
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Thanks Alan. Another question - could this dhapur be attributed to a more specific region of Java, or can this reasonably be found in many parts of Java?