Help with this Keris and pamor ?

A. G. Maisey · 24th January 2022, 08:10 PM

I do not consider my dating to be accurate David, it is dating that sets the beginning of modern keris production in the Sumenep area. The first modern work I saw from this area was pretty rough, even in the mid-1990's they were still producing blades that bore very little semblance to older Madura blades or Javanese blades.

This keris looks as if it is nice quality work. I'd need to look at some of my old photos to confirm what is in my mind, but if somebody held a gun at my head and limited my guess to a 5 year window, I'd say second half of the 1990's --- and that is conservative, it is much more likely to be younger than older.

In respect of the name "Melati Tumpuk".

I don't think I've ever heard this name for a pamor, that doesn't mean that somewhere, somebody has not or does not use the name, but for this particular keris that name makes no sense at all.

"Melati" is fragrant flower, and we do have several pamor motifs that incorporate "melati" into the name

"Tumpuk" means a pile or a heap.

I can see no suggestion of piles or heaps of melati blossoms in this pamor.

If we joined those little round motif elements with a straight piece of pamor material, we might get the Melati Rinonce motif; if the round elements were further apart we might get Melati Sinebar.

24th January 2022, 08:10 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	I do not consider my dating to be accurate David, it is dating that sets the beginning of modern keris production in the Sumenep area. The first modern work I saw from this area was pretty rough, even in the mid-1990's they were still producing blades that bore very little semblance to older Madura blades or Javanese blades. This keris looks as if it is nice quality work. I'd need to look at some of my old photos to confirm what is in my mind, but if somebody held a gun at my head and limited my guess to a 5 year window, I'd say second half of the 1990's --- and that is conservative, it is much more likely to be younger than older. In respect of the name "Melati Tumpuk". I don't think I've ever heard this name for a pamor, that doesn't mean that somewhere, somebody has not or does not use the name, but for this particular keris that name makes no sense at all. "Melati" is fragrant flower, and we do have several pamor motifs that incorporate "melati" into the name "Tumpuk" means a pile or a heap. I can see no suggestion of piles or heaps of melati blossoms in this pamor. If we joined those little round motif elements with a straight piece of pamor material, we might get the Melati Rinonce motif; if the round elements were further apart we might get Melati Sinebar. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 24th January 2022 at 08:21 PM.