Dwi Warna or Empat (4) Warna?

Paul de Souza · 23rd May 2018, 11:16 AM

I don't own this keris but found this on the net. I have permission to use these pictures here.

The pamor is pretty amazing. I have only seen blades with 2 pamors where one side of the blade will have one pamor while the other side will have the other pamor. But here we have a keris where the two different pamor are side by side. But not only that , the 2 pamors changes its position on the face of the blade. On one face the straight pamor is next to the kembang kacang and the wavy pamor is by the aring. One the other face, the position of the pamor changes. It is like there are 4 panels of pamor on the blade. I think the pictures best explain what I mean.

How is this attained? I guess this is rare. Is there a name for such a pamor arrangement?

Paul de Souza · 23rd May 2018, 11:19 AM

I forgot the pictures.

Gustav · 23rd May 2018, 11:43 AM

So it did go to Singapore

It looks better then on the picture from auction house. It was auctioned (and bought) 1848, if we trust the tag on it. A nice example of older South-Sumatran (?) sheath, which perhaps could be also Madura Kacir. The blade looks more East-Java.

As I understand it at the moment, such arranging of Pamor is called Pamor Slewah. Note that this arrangement appears also on Gonjo.

Paul de Souza · 23rd May 2018, 11:52 AM

Wished it did but it did not.... :-(

A. G. Maisey · 23rd May 2018, 12:17 PM

In accordance with what I was taught, I would call this pamor Dwi Warno, ie, two pamors, even though these two pamors are arranged in an unusual way.

I would call a keris with a different pamor on each blade face Pamor Tangkis.

I would also call a keris that had pamor on one blade face, but no pamor on the other blade face, Pamor Tangkis.

However, some people call a keris with a different pamor on each blade face Pamor Slewah, for these people, a keris that has pamor on one blade face, but has no pamor on the other blade face, is considered to be Pamor Tangkis.

Like a lot of things with keris, it depends where you went to school, and who your teacher was.

As to blade origin, I hesitate to form an opinion. The pamor work certainly looks like Madura/East Jawa, but not the garap.

Madura pande moved around a lot, I have a keris that was the state execution keris of Brunei from 1842, and the opinion of many keris literate people who have handled it is that it is the work of a Madura pande.

Gustav · 23rd May 2018, 01:03 PM

Alan, does the overall shape of Gonjo and Gandhik look like Madura to you?

David · 23rd May 2018, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gustav

So it did go to Singapore

As far as i know this keris now belongs to Michael Marlow, who i had thought was a member here. Perhaps i have him confused with another Michael.

Part of what i find fascinating about the Dwi Warno on this keris is the arrangement because if you haven't noticed there are not just two pamors on each side, but the two actually switch positions on each side which seems very tricky and pretty cool IMHO. Never seen anything quite like it.
They has been quite a bit os discussion on the origins of this keris on a FB page i frequent. Some people have suggested that the keris is Lampung, which doesn't seem correct to me, though i see some references in the hilt similar to Lampung bird hilts. But the motifs around the base look like they have a Gayo influence.
As for the origin of the blade itself Lampung doesn't seem right at all, but is it possible that it is from another area of Sumatra?

Gustav · 23rd May 2018, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

As far as i know this keris now belongs to Michael Marlow, who i had thought was a member here. Perhaps i have him confused with another Michael.

David, as I don't frequent FB pages, I'm not so well informed about the current location of this Keris.

My remark about Singapore was generated by the background furnishing, which looks kind of like the environment our Singapore members are used to live. That's why it ended with

and was ment as such.

We had a similar hilt ages before here and DHenkel said it would be from South-Sumatra. Batang is South-Sumatra, Sampir could be from South-Sumatra, yet also other places.

Gustav · 23rd May 2018, 10:14 PM

And Selut/Pendokok is clearly South-Sumatran and fits the hilt so well, that it could be an original ensemble.

David · 24th May 2018, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gustav

David, as I don't frequent FB pages, I'm not so well informed about the current location of this Keris.

My remark about Singapore was generated by the background furnishing, which looks kind of like the environment our Singapore members are used to live. That's why it ended with

and was ment as such.

Thanks Gustav. I don't see any furnishings in the photos, just what appears to perhaps be an out of focus white marble surface. I did not realize this was possibly indicative of a Singapore environment. I mentioned that Michael Marlow has this keris presently simply as a matter of fact.

23rd May 2018, 11:16 AM	#1
Paul de Souza Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 65	Dwi Warna or Empat (4) Warna? I don't own this keris but found this on the net. I have permission to use these pictures here. The pamor is pretty amazing. I have only seen blades with 2 pamors where one side of the blade will have one pamor while the other side will have the other pamor. But here we have a keris where the two different pamor are side by side. But not only that , the 2 pamors changes its position on the face of the blade. On one face the straight pamor is next to the kembang kacang and the wavy pamor is by the aring. One the other face, the position of the pamor changes. It is like there are 4 panels of pamor on the blade. I think the pictures best explain what I mean. How is this attained? I guess this is rare. Is there a name for such a pamor arrangement?

23rd May 2018, 11:19 AM	#2
Paul de Souza Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 65	I forgot the pictures. Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 11:43 AM	#3
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,247	So it did go to Singapore It looks better then on the picture from auction house. It was auctioned (and bought) 1848, if we trust the tag on it. A nice example of older South-Sumatran (?) sheath, which perhaps could be also Madura Kacir. The blade looks more East-Java. As I understand it at the moment, such arranging of Pamor is called Pamor Slewah. Note that this arrangement appears also on Gonjo. Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 01:03 PM	#6
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,247	Alan, does the overall shape of Gonjo and Gandhik look like Madura to you? Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 11:52 AM	#4
Paul de Souza Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 65	Wished it did but it did not.... :-(

23rd May 2018, 12:17 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,890	In accordance with what I was taught, I would call this pamor Dwi Warno, ie, two pamors, even though these two pamors are arranged in an unusual way. I would call a keris with a different pamor on each blade face Pamor Tangkis. I would also call a keris that had pamor on one blade face, but no pamor on the other blade face, Pamor Tangkis. However, some people call a keris with a different pamor on each blade face Pamor Slewah, for these people, a keris that has pamor on one blade face, but has no pamor on the other blade face, is considered to be Pamor Tangkis. Like a lot of things with keris, it depends where you went to school, and who your teacher was. As to blade origin, I hesitate to form an opinion. The pamor work certainly looks like Madura/East Jawa, but not the garap. Madura pande moved around a lot, I have a keris that was the state execution keris of Brunei from 1842, and the opinion of many keris literate people who have handled it is that it is the work of a Madura pande.

23rd May 2018, 10:14 PM	#9
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,247	And Selut/Pendokok is clearly South-Sumatran and fits the hilt so well, that it could be an original ensemble.