By a collector, for collectors

A. G. Maisey · 13th July 2017, 10:26 PM

Our valued friend and regular contributor to this Forum, Jean Greffioz has written another book about the keris. I have just completed a reading of this new book and I must say that I am very impressed.

This could well be the book that many collectors have been waiting for:- it is a book that has been written by a collector, for collectors.

In my experience, most keris collectors have the same two primary questions whenever they see or handle a keris:-

where is it from?

how old is it?

As a collector's knowledge increases and along with that knowledge, his curiosity also increases, he begins to focus on the individual parts that comprise the complete keris:-

what type of scabbard is this?

what is this pamor called?

what is the name of this type of hilt?

In recent years a number of books written by Indonesian authors, and published in Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia, have been published that do address these questions, but for collectors in the western world that information is very often somewhere between extremely difficult and impossible to access.

Jean is able to read and understand Bahasa Indonesia, and he has used these books published in Bahasa Indonesia as his principal source of information for his new book, thus he has opened the door to a lot of information that was formerly not available to many collectors.

But he has not confined his efforts to a simple translation of text.

Physically this book is coffee table size (A4 format) and it is printed on good quality art paper. It contains more than 330 large, clear photographs of keris taken from Jean's personal collection. These photographs are arranged in sections, or perhaps chapters, that cover the types of keris originating from several regions of Java, and from Madura, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, Sumbawa, and Sumatera.

This presentation of classificatory information in the form of actual keris of a style and quality that is achievable by any serious collector is invaluable, and to my knowledge has never before been attempted.

Each section dealing with a region has a short introductory text that provides an over-view of both the region and the kerises originating from that region.

Jean has included a bibliography, a glossary of keris terms, an index of keris features, and to top it off, a photographic reference of Javanese pamor patterns, again, he has used actual keris to demonstrate these pamor patterns.

This book would be a valuable addition to the library of all collectors, but for a beginning collector, I consider that it is essential. In fact, for the pure collector there is perhaps no better book currently available.

mariusgmioc · 13th July 2017, 11:14 PM

Thank you Alan for the notification!

What is the title of the book?

Do you also know where can we buy the book?

Regards,

Marius

David · 13th July 2017, 11:37 PM

Thanks Alan. I was so hoping that this book would be well received. Jean has been an valuable resource and contributor to this forum for some time and i look forward to getting a copy of my own as soon as i can afford it.
Marius, you will find more information about this book, including examples of some of the pages and how to purchase it in the Keris Swap Forum.
Just a reminder that all are welcome to discuss the merits of this (or any) book openly here, but any commercial information must be found in Swap. Thanks!

mariusgmioc · 14th July 2017, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Marius, you will find more information about this book, including examples of some of the pages and how to purchase it in the Keris Swap Forum.
Just a reminder that all are welcome to discuss the merits of this (or any) book openly here, but any commercial information must be found in Swap. Thanks!

Thank you for the info!

Regards,

Marius

Green · 14th July 2017, 04:10 PM

it's a very good book indeed and i'm happy to have #76 of 100 printed.
I highly recommend it and only 100 copies were printed in this first edition so you better hurry!

Marcokeris · 14th July 2017, 09:15 PM

A really good book, very detailed and full of information

Loedjoe · 8th August 2017, 10:21 AM

I fully endorse the good things that others have written here about this book. One of the most valuable features, the section of about 80 full-page photographs of blades (showing both sides), showing and describing pamor patterns of Javanese blades, is modestly under the heading 'Appendix 4'.

jagabuwana · 30th March 2018, 07:23 AM

This book sure comes highly recommended and with high praise. I'm very new to studying the keris so I'm sure this would be as valuable to me as it seems to be to more learned and expert folk.

I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

Jean · 30th March 2018, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

Hello,
No, the book is not focusing on the forging process which is already described in several other books and I could not contribute more about the subject.
BTW all my copies have been sold-out but you may get one from Ethnographic Art Books (Leiden museum library).
Regards

jagabuwana · 31st March 2018, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean

Hello,
No, the book is not focusing on the forging process which is already described in several other books and I could not contribute more about the subject.
BTW all my copies have been sold-out but you may get one from Ethnographic Art Books (Leiden museum library).
Regards

Thank you, Jean. Leiden Museum are selling a copy on AbeBooks, and hopefully I can snatch it up before too long.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

You might like to have a look at THE WORLD OF THE JAVANESE KERIS by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom.
There are many pictures of the steps in the forging process in this book.

Thank you, Rick. This sounds like the one for me. I'm learning very quickly that these books aren't so easy to come by

What about "The Javanese Kris" by Groneman? I see that it has some 20 pages dedicated to the process of forging Javanese weapons. Between the two books, which has the most comprehensive detail on forging?

Rick · 1st April 2018, 01:26 AM

I don't have a copy of Groneman, nor have I looked into it. I believe other members who have both books might be more qualified to make a comparison.

kai · 2nd April 2018, 02:40 PM

Quote:

What about "The Javanese Kris" by Groneman? I see that it has some 20 pages dedicated to the process of forging Javanese weapons. Between the two books, which has the most comprehensive detail on forging?

What you're looking for regarding the keris forging process? There are also a bunch of videos online which may help to piecing together the puzzle...

Solyom & Solyom is a must-have for keris aficionados and you should be able to obtain it via an interlibrary loan. However, their section on forging is only 31 pics squeezed on 2 pages and less than 2 pages of text; valuable to get a basic idea of the process but little more I'm afraid.

Groneman set out to document the whole keris-making process and did so in quite some detail. There is apparently one step missing in the forging process which the empu managed to hide from Groneman. Maybe Alan could point that out if not sworn to secrecy? The English translation of Groneman is quite expensive (with lots of additional keris shown though); the original in German (Der Kris der Javaner; published as a series in 1910 to 1913) should also be readily available via libraries.

Regards,
Kai

Rick · 30th March 2018, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

This book sure comes highly recommended and with high praise. I'm very new to studying the keris so I'm sure this would be as valuable to me as it seems to be to more learned and expert folk.

I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

You might like to have a look at THE WORLD OF THE JAVANESE KERIS by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom.
There are many pictures of the steps in the forging process in this book.

13th July 2017, 10:26 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	By a collector, for collectors Our valued friend and regular contributor to this Forum, Jean Greffioz has written another book about the keris. I have just completed a reading of this new book and I must say that I am very impressed. This could well be the book that many collectors have been waiting for:- it is a book that has been written by a collector, for collectors. In my experience, most keris collectors have the same two primary questions whenever they see or handle a keris:- where is it from? how old is it? As a collector's knowledge increases and along with that knowledge, his curiosity also increases, he begins to focus on the individual parts that comprise the complete keris:- what type of scabbard is this? what is this pamor called? what is the name of this type of hilt? In recent years a number of books written by Indonesian authors, and published in Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia, have been published that do address these questions, but for collectors in the western world that information is very often somewhere between extremely difficult and impossible to access. Jean is able to read and understand Bahasa Indonesia, and he has used these books published in Bahasa Indonesia as his principal source of information for his new book, thus he has opened the door to a lot of information that was formerly not available to many collectors. But he has not confined his efforts to a simple translation of text. Physically this book is coffee table size (A4 format) and it is printed on good quality art paper. It contains more than 330 large, clear photographs of keris taken from Jean's personal collection. These photographs are arranged in sections, or perhaps chapters, that cover the types of keris originating from several regions of Java, and from Madura, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, Sumbawa, and Sumatera. This presentation of classificatory information in the form of actual keris of a style and quality that is achievable by any serious collector is invaluable, and to my knowledge has never before been attempted. Each section dealing with a region has a short introductory text that provides an over-view of both the region and the kerises originating from that region. Jean has included a bibliography, a glossary of keris terms, an index of keris features, and to top it off, a photographic reference of Javanese pamor patterns, again, he has used actual keris to demonstrate these pamor patterns. This book would be a valuable addition to the library of all collectors, but for a beginning collector, I consider that it is essential. In fact, for the pure collector there is perhaps no better book currently available.

13th July 2017, 11:14 PM	#2
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	Thank you Alan for the notification! What is the title of the book? Do you also know where can we buy the book? Regards, Marius

13th July 2017, 11:37 PM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,130	Thanks Alan. I was so hoping that this book would be well received. Jean has been an valuable resource and contributor to this forum for some time and i look forward to getting a copy of my own as soon as i can afford it. Marius, you will find more information about this book, including examples of some of the pages and how to purchase it in the Keris Swap Forum. Just a reminder that all are welcome to discuss the merits of this (or any) book openly here, but any commercial information must be found in Swap. Thanks!

14th July 2017, 04:10 PM	#5
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 312	it's a very good book indeed and i'm happy to have #76 of 100 printed. I highly recommend it and only 100 copies were printed in this first edition so you better hurry!

14th July 2017, 09:15 PM	#6
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	A really good book, very detailed and full of information

8th August 2017, 10:21 AM	#7
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	I fully endorse the good things that others have written here about this book. One of the most valuable features, the section of about 80 full-page photographs of blades (showing both sides), showing and describing pamor patterns of Javanese blades, is modestly under the heading 'Appendix 4'.

30th March 2018, 07:23 AM	#8
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 282	This book sure comes highly recommended and with high praise. I'm very new to studying the keris so I'm sure this would be as valuable to me as it seems to be to more learned and expert folk. I'm particularly interested in descriptions of the keris forging process. Does this book contain that?

1st April 2018, 01:26 AM	#11
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,294	I don't have a copy of Groneman, nor have I looked into it. I believe other members who have both books might be more qualified to make a comparison.