tajung

[semar]

I have buy this Tajung this week

regards Semar

[Marcokeris]

Congraturation!! Very Very nice

[BluErf]

Are you Indonesian, Semar?

[BluErf]

Maybe it would be better for the carver to carve Raja Mala hilts rather than the tajong.

[semar]

no bluerf wy you aske I`m form the nederlands

regards semar

[sirek]

This is a really nice one , Congratulations!

did you purchased him as a separate artwork?

or do you have a keris where he should be mounted on?

[BluErf]

Hi Semar,

Thanks. I asked because your purchases seem to predominantly come from Indonesia. This hilt is not a real tajong, most likely made in Indonesia.

[Alam Shah]

Hi Semar,

I've seen quite a number of 'Tajong' hilts coming from various parts of Indonesia, I do agree that this looks like one. The general aesthetics of the shape, carving techniques and embellishment are not of Peninsular style, imho..

[semar]

oke thank you gentelmen

regards semar

[drdavid]

Hi Blue Erf
could you explain

better for the carver to carve Raja Mala hilts rather than the tajong

I am afraid I dont understand what a Raja Mala hilt is.
thanks
drdavid

[BluErf]

It's like this.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=tegal

Raja Mala is possibly the proto-form of the tajong, and it originates from Java. Tajong is N. Malayan. Hence, the implication is that the carver of this tajong is likely from Indonesia, and hence he should be carving the Indonesian form of the hilt - the Raja Mala form.

Anyhow, it is difficult for carvers from outside a culture to attain the 'air tangan' (roughly speaking, the subtle sense of aesthetics) of that culture. So these carvers would have a hard time fooling collectors who have been immersed in the art form. However, that said, most people do not belong to that category, so people do often get 'tricked' by these imposters.

And it is open knowledge that such forums are used to 'test water' for some of these works to see if they are good enough to 'pass'. As a collector who loves the tajong form, it is difficult - if we don't speak up, the 'wrong' form/imposters become accepted as the norm over time; if we challenge, we run the risks of enhancing the fakers' knowledge in coming up with better hilts. So maybe the compromise is to point out what looks suspicious, and leave it at that. More intimate knowledge would probably have to be passed to known collectors, privately.

[David]

Originally Posted by BluErf

Anyhow, it is difficult for carvers from outside a culture to attain the 'air tangan' (roughly speaking, the subtle sense of aesthetics) of that culture. So these carvers would have a hard time fooling collectors who have been immersed in the art form. However, that said, most people do not belong to that category, so people do often get 'tricked' by these imposters.

And it is open knowledge that such forums are used to 'test water' for some of these works to see if they are good enough to 'pass'. As a collector who loves the tajong form, it is difficult - if we don't speak up, the 'wrong' form/imposters become accepted as the norm over time; if we challenge, we run the risks of enhancing the fakers' knowledge in coming up with better hilts. So maybe the compromise is to point out what looks suspicious, and leave it at that. More intimate knowledge would probably have to be passed to known collectors, privately.

Well said Kai Wee.

[drdavid]

Thank you Kai Wee
drdavid