Keris for identification

[SidJ]

Thanks
I am advised this one is made by the late Empu Djeno Harumbrojo. In my view the dress is original to the blade.

[SidJ]

Pamor Mayang Mekar

[milandro]

Yes, I thought it may be , as I wrote, a pamor representing a leaf.

[Marcokeris]

I find very strange that an Empu Jeno keris is paired with this not nice sarong

[Marcokeris]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

I find very strange that an Empu Jeno keris is paired with this not nice sarong

Ladrang is broken, pendok not dress well, mendak is a low quality, deder is standard......why?

[SidJ]

Yes there are damages to the dress but this is not uncommon as they are fragile and this has suffered in a Western setting of commercial trade that did not appreciate its fragility.The dress itself is not of a low standard however. The sarong is delicately carved from a high grade timber resembling tiger stripes. The pendok shows crisp detailing. The black coating resembles black enamel. It is a perfect fit. The mendak is set with either cut glass or stone with facets. It seems more than reasonable to me.

[naturalist]

Mayang Mekar is not referring to a type of leaves.
Mayang is the name of betel nut flower, Mekar is blossom.

Originally Posted by SidJ

Pamor Mayang Mekar

[Gustav]

I am afraid, even Empu not always give us the consistency in their work we expect from them, and that includes Greneng. Overall form of it will be recognisable but parts of it, even Dha, can vary.

This looks like a quite late work by Djeno, where the biggest part if not all work already was done by his apprentices. In Western art, since around 1880, we distinguish between Rubens, Rubens and workshop, and workshop of Rubens in paintings. I doubt we will see this level in Kerisology, and I also doubt its expected, useful and necessary.

I am afraid to say, that even Keris by Djeno can turn up in a gun show or flea market. That all depends on heirs, and things can go very quickly. Value is a very fleeting and unstable category.

[Gustav]

Here are two Keris from the same dealer, one of them with a certificate supposedly signed by Sungkowo (Greneng of it posted by David), another one with a certificate supposedly signed by Djeno himself.

I find the comparison between these two Keris, including their Greneng, quite insightful.

[A. G. Maisey]

That is a very useful contribution Gustav, I tried to do something similar myself, but I have not had the time to look for suitable photos.

Apart from the enormous difference in the way these two men have executed the blade characteristics, the thing that really sticks out like a pimple on a pumpkin is that although both are working in the Jogja "school", neither man has worked in Jogja style. Djeno comes closer than Sungkowo, but neither keris is really recognizable as Jogja.

[Gustav]

Alan, Sungkowo's(?) certificate states the Keris is work of Djeno from 2001.

From the three Keris in this thread, the only one which really resembles Djeno's or better Ngentho-Entho work to me is the initial one.

[Anthony G.]

Originally Posted by SidJ

Thanks
I am advised this one is made by the late Empu Djeno Harumbrojo. In my view the dress is original to the blade.

His keris is not cheap i think.

[David]

Originally Posted by SidJ

Thanks
I am advised this one is made by the late Empu Djeno Harumbrojo. In my view the dress is original to the blade.

This seems like nice keris. I am not sure why your advisors were so sure this is Empu Djeno's work though. I am not saying it is not, but i don't really see the evidence that it is. I have been led to understand that an empu's "signature" can sometimes be read in the greneng of a keris, more specifically in the way he forms his ron dha. It is not easy to find clear examples of Djeno keris that some details of the greneng, but here is one i found that did have documentation certifying it as a Djeno keris (and yes, such things can be faked).
I did also find another keris that is identified as a Djeno keris with a similar pamor to yours. Unfortunately there are no details of this keris that i can find.
Regarding the rest of the ensemble, this looks like it was once fairly decent dress. The detail work on the pendok and the black enamel look well done. The mendak is not bargain basement, but it does not appear to be high end either. I doubt they are real stones. This dress does seem to have been abused quite a bit if we consider it is something that is not really more than 25-30 years old. Frankly i don't think we can blame the condition of the dress on it being held in a Western setting. Anyone who would possess a Djeno keris would have obviously been aware of what they had and treated it more kindly. It's not the kind of keris that is likely to turn up at the local flea market or gun show and people who bought keris from Djeno paid top dollar for it and would more often than not keep the certificate of authenticity with the keris if they were to sell it and use it's creators name as a selling point.

[SidJ]

Thanks David
Could you elaborate on what actual evidence you are looking for that would lead you be satisfied this is by the said Empu? That might be useful in shedding more light on the matter.
Thanks in advance

[Anthony G.]

Originally Posted by SidJ

Thanks David
Could you elaborate on what actual evidence you are looking for that would lead you be satisfied this is by the said Empu? That might be useful in shedding more light on the matter.
Thanks in advance

If you know how to reach out to his son who is now a popular empu himself, he can certify whether this keris is forged by his father or not otherwise.