MADURA ornamental hilts

[Sajen]

Some more donoriko hilts.

[Sajen]

Some tumenggunan hilts.

[Sajen]

Here some of the same "family" from a other form, know someone the name for this form?

[Jean]

Another style of madurese hilt called topi (helmet) or pulasir (cuirassier).

[David]

Nice collection of this style hilt Jean. Seems that Madura was more influenced by European iconography than any other area of Indonesia.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

Nice collection of this style hilt Jean. Seems that Madura was more influenced by European iconography than any other area of Indonesia.

Thanks David. One reason for explaining the influence of European iconography in Madura may be that many Madurese were enlisted in the Dutch colonial army.
By the way I would like to know how to adjust the size of the embedded pictures in the posts in order to improve their presentation.
Regards

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

By the way I would like to know how to adjust the size of the embedded pictures in the posts in order to improve their presentation.
Regards

Hi Jean. Your images are perhaps just a little too large, certainly to fit completely on the screen of my laptop, but that isn't necessarily a problem, especially when we want to see the small details in these hilts. It does require a bit of up/down scrolling though. I generally reduce the dimensions of my images to about 12 inches on the long side with the resolution at 72dpi.
If by "how" you me what program to do this adjustment in, there are many. I have photoshop, but there is no need to get such expensive software for this. There are many free, online options. I'd just google something like "photo size adjustment" and see what comes up. Many have been recommended by our members in the past, but i am afraid i don't know which one works best.

[Paul B.]

Here is mine very similar to post 17 ( hilt 8) which Alan shows us.
A good examination reveals that it LOTUS flowers are all around.
Does it have a deeper religious meaning or just aesthetical purpose?


The sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, is an aquatic plant that plays a central role in the art of Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

Symbol for Purity: The lotus flower emerges from murky waters perfectly clean and beautiful, so it is also a symbol for purity. The meaning of the lotus flower holds such power because it can offer hope and strength to people struggling in their daily lives. It is a symbol that shows that no matter where you start off in life and no matter what you're going through, you have the ability to rise above, overcome all negativity and find bliss as you emerge from your struggles.

[A. G. Maisey]

Re post 117.

Detlef, Suhartono Rahardjo calls these hilts "janggelan"; Aswin Wirjadi does not show anything quite the same as this hilt style, but he seems to call all Madura hilts that do not fall into the other classifications "janggelan".

Rahardjo may not have known a correct name for them, but Wirjadi should be able to be accepted, because his father-in-law lived in Malang and was recognised as a knowledgeable collector for many years. Malang has strong connections with Madura.

I do not know of any specific name for this hilt style, and my personal belief is that it is more common on the North Coast than in Madura.

Actually, I have severe doubts about the historic authenticity of many of the names that we currently apply to hilts from not only Madura.

One naming that sticks in my craw like dry biscuit is this emerging tendency to call the Solo planar style "tunggak semi".

Pak Parman would be spinning in his grave at this insult.

Tunggak semi is a new shoot on an old stump.

The "stump" is Surakarta, the direct line of the House of Mataram, descended from the House of Majapahit, through the female line.

When Central Jawa was partitioned by the Dutch, Ngayogyakarta needed to create a style (in all things) that varied from the Surakarta style, and the two houses, Surakarta and Ngayogyakarta agreed that the "stump" : Surakarta, would follow the Majapahit line of style, whilst the "new shoot" : Ngayogyakarta, would follow the Mataram Second Kingdom line of style. As part of this agreement the two varying hilt styles emerged.

Now we have people who want to stick "tunggak semi" on everything, including the Surakarta planar styles.

Surakarta may have slipped a little from its previous glory, but it is still the senior division of the House of Mataram, and it is quite incorrect to apply the designation of "new shoot on old stump" to its hilt style.

How can this apply, when Surakarta itself is the "old stump"?

What we see at the present time with a lot of names used in keris related things, are names invented, or applied, by collectors that do serve a purpose for ease of identification amongst other collectors, but often have little or no relevance to historic accuracy, nor in some instances of common societal usage.

This is just one of the elements of the Name Game, and just one of the reasons why I detest this compulsion that persists in the World of the Keris to categorise and classify everything, while at the same time virtually ignoring meanings and intent.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I do not know of any specific name for this hilt style, and my personal belief is that it is more common on the North Coast than in Madura.

This is just one of the elements of the Name Game, and just one of the reasons why I detest this compulsion that persists in the World of the Keris to categorise and classify everything, while at the same time virtually ignoring meanings and intent.

Agree with you in both statements Alan.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Here some of the same "family" from a other form, know someone the name for this form?

Here one in the same style from marine ivory which enter my collection a while back.