Introducing...

[BluErf]

This hilt was brought over by a runner from Bali, so I guess we all concluded that it was from Bali. The workmanship ties in with what we have seen from Bali as well. We also agreed that this is not an old hilt, hence the contemporary tag.

[A. G. Maisey]

I don't think there can be any doubt that this hilt is Balinese work.

The selut is certainly Balinese work. It is not a "look-alike". Madura work does not look anything like this selut.

The hilt itself does not seem to bear any of the indicators of Madura work. It has a flow and coherency that points to original work, rather than a copy. Madura carvers are very good at copying, if they have an original, they can copy it very well, but there is always a stiffness to the copy that is not seen in original work.

The very dark ivory hilt is an old Javanese one that came from a pedang --- it is a keris hilt, but it had been fitted to a pedang many years ago.

The yellowish ivory hilt is a copy of this original that I commissioned from Madura.

The two ivory carvings are whales teeth that I think bear ample evidence of the current skill of Balinese carving.

Ivory can be stained in a number of ways. Tumeric will do it, tea is a very old Chinese method, small pieces can be patinated by forcing a goose to swallow it --- forged netsukes are often done in this way --- but the most common method used in Jawa and Bali is by smoking the carving over a fire of coconut husks.

[BluErf]

Wow! I love the Ganesha carving! The natural flow of the body parts and plants is quite amazing.

The Madurese copy of the Javanese original is very good too, almost indistinguishable.

[Battara]

Impressive work!

[Marcokeris]

Other Bali hit

[A. G. Maisey]

Impressive.

[Sajen]

Simply beautiful!