Java keris thoughts

A. G. Maisey · 22nd January 2023, 12:13 AM

Sid, the sirah cecak (lizard head, front part of gonjo), can be classified as Tuban, if the back part has the right shape it can be confirmed as Tuban, so please, back of gonjo pic.

This is obviously old, it is probably Tuban, very conservative age estimate:- pre-1850.

The loss of the front of the wrongko atasan disqualifies this wrongko from use as a dress keris. The other ways of attending to this break are to adhere a new piece of wood & re-carve, or to reshape the entire wrongko into a "kacir" form.

The mendak looks more like gold over brass, to confirm that it is in fact gold you need to demount it & and test scrapings from the inside of large ring, ie, the ring that contacts the hilt.

Actual gold mendaks are very scarce, they are normally set with true precious stones, usually diamonds or rubies, but not of high quality, they are normally of very fine workmanship.

22nd January 2023, 12:13 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,857	Sid, the sirah cecak (lizard head, front part of gonjo), can be classified as Tuban, if the back part has the right shape it can be confirmed as Tuban, so please, back of gonjo pic. This is obviously old, it is probably Tuban, very conservative age estimate:- pre-1850. The loss of the front of the wrongko atasan disqualifies this wrongko from use as a dress keris. The other ways of attending to this break are to adhere a new piece of wood & re-carve, or to reshape the entire wrongko into a "kacir" form. The mendak looks more like gold over brass, to confirm that it is in fact gold you need to demount it & and test scrapings from the inside of large ring, ie, the ring that contacts the hilt. Actual gold mendaks are very scarce, they are normally set with true precious stones, usually diamonds or rubies, but not of high quality, they are normally of very fine workmanship.