Mendak

[David]

Originally Posted by ariel

Nobody here is buying or selling anything specific; we are talking about generalities. Something along the lines: a Swaasa pendokok may cost between $ 200 - 1000. Nothing more.

As Alan points out Ariel, this thread is about old Javanese mendaks, not swaasa pendokoks. In the keris world these are apples and oranges. There is no one price range for anything that fits between the hilt and blade of every type of keris in all of Indonesia. The culture of collectors of Javanese keris is not the same as it is for Peninsula keris. A swaasa pendokok for a keris tajong will cost whatever the market will bare and will be determined by a number of factors, including, but not limited to the price of gold at the moment (and the weight of the actual pendokok), the level of craft of the part and the rarity or antiquity of that particular pendokok. However, I would still prefer that we keep discussion of the specific cost of such things off the forum. It is a simple request.

[Paul B.]

Pick up this old topic to introduce a genuine old mendak.
Unsure about the material. Could either be ivory (no schraeger lines spotted) or deer / antler? Small repair needed at the bottom where a chip was broken off. Very white dense from the inside.
Any suggestion about it and which handle (Solo / Djogja or even Madura) is best to combine?

[David]

I doesn't look like ivory Paul. Could be bone or antler. Could even be resin from the looks of it. Is there a thick layer of shellac over it?

[Paul B.]

Just oiled it and it should soak a bit (it was very dry) so that's why it appears so shiny.The structure is very dense so I doubt if it is from bone.

[David]

I might suggest that you wipe it dry once you feel it has soaked enough and re-photograph it. The oil is a bit distracting to the subject at hand.

[Paul B.]

More interested to know were it comes from than the material itself.