Indonesian pedang for identification

A. G. Maisey · 20th June 2019, 10:11 PM

Thank you for your comment Detlef.

I think I have already made it clear that I am not proposing any point of origin, nor any name for this pedang. My initial comment was a thought for consideration, no more.

My thought has been considered, and seemingly, dismissed. I have absolutely no problem with this at all. None. I have very little interest in this sort of thing --- well, I used to have, but for a long time now my interest has been pretty narrowly focused.

Blades like this but with different as well as similar hilts I have bought from sources within Indonesia, and from one or two sources outside Indonesia where the seller could provide information on origin. During the 1980's blades like this were being made by smiths in a village outside of Boyolali in Jawa Tengah.

Hilts like this I have had on old Javanese blades, and I have seen at least one similar hilt that was carved in Solo within the last 30 years.

My only problem in respect of this particular pedang, as well as a great number of other unremarkable tools & weapons that get posted for identification, is that the sources that are used as reference material are so very few, and so very unreliable.

There are simply not adequate sources of reliable information available to permit any reasonable person to form a supportable opinion.

Most opinions on place of origin and name of perhaps the bulk of these everyday objects should be qualified. Most people fail to do so.

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20th June 2019, 10:11 PM	#18
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Thank you for your comment Detlef. I think I have already made it clear that I am not proposing any point of origin, nor any name for this pedang. My initial comment was a thought for consideration, no more. My thought has been considered, and seemingly, dismissed. I have absolutely no problem with this at all. None. I have very little interest in this sort of thing --- well, I used to have, but for a long time now my interest has been pretty narrowly focused. Blades like this but with different as well as similar hilts I have bought from sources within Indonesia, and from one or two sources outside Indonesia where the seller could provide information on origin. During the 1980's blades like this were being made by smiths in a village outside of Boyolali in Jawa Tengah. Hilts like this I have had on old Javanese blades, and I have seen at least one similar hilt that was carved in Solo within the last 30 years. My only problem in respect of this particular pedang, as well as a great number of other unremarkable tools & weapons that get posted for identification, is that the sources that are used as reference material are so very few, and so very unreliable. There are simply not adequate sources of reliable information available to permit any reasonable person to form a supportable opinion. Most opinions on place of origin and name of perhaps the bulk of these everyday objects should be qualified. Most people fail to do so.