Bali Hilts

[David]

Nice cekak redut (accordian stye) example you show her Rasjid.
On the hair, are you sure the hair on your example is human? I have one of these hilts and the hair just seems too coarse to be human. But i can think of numerous reasons from a magickal perspective why using one's own hair in this context would be effective in strengthening the bond between owner and weapon.

[VVV]

Usually the hair on these Balinese hilts are from horse's hair.
However, I have heard that human hair quite often was used to fasten the hilt to the pesi...

Michael

[David]

Originally Posted by VVV

Usually the hair on these Balinese hilts are from horse's hair.
However, I have heard that human hair quite often was used to fasten the hilt to the pesi...

Michael

Yes Michael, i have encountered this, but on Javanese keris only. Do you know if it was a practice outside of Jawa?

[Sajen]

Variations in style, age and material.

[Sajen]

Bondolan.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by David

Yes Michael, i have encountered this, but on Javanese keris only. Do you know if it was a practice outside of Jawa?

Have found some years ago a Bali keris where the hilt was attached with hair. And have heard that human hair was used by this cenangan hilts sometimes but normally was used horse hair.

[rasjid]

David, I'm not saying my hilt is using human hair, just heard story about it. I'm not keen to do some testing anyway . Looks like many other stories around it.

The cekah / cekahan solas is made from black wood and solas is sebelas ( eleven). I believe Alan's is 23 cuts or more? Havent count it yet.

[A. G. Maisey]

Three more, whale's teeth.

Teeth bought in Sydney in 1970's, salvaged from the sea bed rubbish dump of a whaling station in Western Australia. The teeth were taken to Bali and carved there. I did not order specific motifs, and left this to the carver.

[rasjid]

Just in case someone surprise that these one are newly made...

[Jean]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Three more, whale's teeth.

Teeth bought in Sydney in 1970's, salvaged from the sea bed rubbish dump of a whaling station in Western Australia. The teeth were taken to Bali and carved there. I did not order specific motifs, and left this to the carver.

Hi Alan,
Very nice specimens of hilts made from marine ivory! How long ago were they made and who was the maker if you agree to tell us?
Regards

[A. G. Maisey]

They were done about 3 or 4 years ago.

I do not know who carved them.

Jean, I have found that to get the best possible result from ordered work, at the best possible price, in Jawa and Bali it is best to go through a third party.

Going back 20 or 30 years I used to deal directly with craftsmen, and this works fine if you can be there while the job is being done. You can visit daily, supervise, create a socially binding relationship and at the end of the day you can finish up with a satisfactory result.

However, when you deal directly with a craftsman, place the order and then come back 6 or 12 months later to collect it you are setting yourself up for every possible variation of disappointment, failure and rip-off.

The way to get a good result on the long term order basis is to form a solid business link with a reliable third party:- business people are motivated by money; artists are motivated by emotion and personal contact.

However, if you use an agent to place and manage your order, you often do not know exactly who did the work.

In Solo I mostly know who the craftsman is who did the work, exactly what his personal situation is, and exactly what he charged for it.

In Bali I know nothing, except how to get the best possible finished product.