Identification Assistance Requested - New Collector

[Jean]

IMO the carved winged animal on the gandik does not depict a singa but Garuda, see what it is holding in its front legs (snake or turtle?) and compare with the attached image from the Tropenmuseum.
Regards

[Gustav]

A depiction of turtle as a base of another figure is not uncommon at all on Gandhik of Balinese Keris, but I have yet to see an authentic Garuda depiction on an old Balinese Keris.

[A. G. Maisey]

That's a nice pic Gustav.

So the figure on the keris is in your opinion a depiction of Garuda?

Is that correct?

Can you please tell us why you have formed this opinion?

[Gustav]

Alan, no, that was Jean's opinion.

[A. G. Maisey]

Sorry Gustav.

Please accept my apologies.

Jean, could I redirect my question to you?


That's a nice pic Jean.

So the figure on the keris is in your opinion a depiction of Garuda?

Is that correct?

Can you please tell us why you have formed this opinion?

[Jean]

Hello Alan,
This is my opinion only but this carving does not look like a standard singa for the following reasons:
. Head: fangs, bulging eyes, ears, hair
. Wings
. Sitting position, no penis, unclear tail, animal under its front legs.
I don't remember to have ever seen such a carved animal on a balinese blade but would be curious to see a similar one. However I admit that it has no clear beak so that it may not depict Garuda.
Regards

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Jean

Hello Alan,
This is my opinion only but this carving does not look like a standard singa for the following reasons:
. Head: fangs, bulging eyes, ears, hair
. Wings
. Sitting position, no penis, unclear tail, animal under its front legs.
I don't remember to have ever seen such a carved animal on a balinese blade but would be curious to see a similar one. However I admit that it has no clear beak so that it may not depict Garuda.
Regards

Hum, it may be a singa bersayap after all.

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

Hello Alan,
This is my opinion only but this carving does not look like a standard singa for the following reasons:
. Head: fangs, bulging eyes, ears, hair
. Wings
. Sitting position, no penis, unclear tail, animal under its front legs.
I don't remember to have ever seen such a carved animal on a balinese blade but would be curious to see a similar one. However I admit that it has no clear beak so that it may not depict Garuda.
Regards

Jean, winged singo seem to be rather common in Bali. Here is a 19th century example that features fangs, bulging eyes hair, no clear indication of a penis and not an animal, but a human infant underneath its legs.
I think your expectations of a singo might be more based upon the Javanese model.