Spear, Sumatra or Java?

Loedjoe · 22nd March 2020, 05:41 PM

Pamor similar to Uler lulut(?), a few millimetres of the tip of the blade missing, exceptionally delicate gold Naga heads on each side of the base of the blade, with topong makhota (crown with ear pieces) and inlaid eyes, gold decoration on the metuk, including tumpal and diamond patterns, and four ovals with a setting for a stone in the centre of each (stones missing).
Dark brown/black wood shaft, a plain spiral carved the whole length.

184 cm, blade 24.5 cm, tang 17 cm, sleeve 15 cm.

Is this Sumatran (I have seen similar pamor on Sumatran keris blades) or Javanese, or...?

kai · 22nd March 2020, 08:53 PM

Hello Tim,

Very nice spear, indeed!

The methuk seems separate? I'd lean towards the Jawa/Bali nexus.

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 23rd March 2020, 05:28 AM

Of the 3, this one is my favorite!

Not helpful but honest.........

Sajen · 23rd March 2020, 11:11 AM

Hello Tim,

Very nice spears you have acquired!

Like Kai I would go for Java or Bali for this one.

Regards,
Detlef

A. G. Maisey · 23rd March 2020, 12:30 PM

No, not Bali, Jawa, I think probably Surakarta but I want check a reference.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd March 2020, 11:08 PM

Tim, are you able to provide photos of both ends of the shaft so that we can see the form and detail of the ferrule and butt, and a full length photo of the tombak?

Loedjoe · 25th March 2020, 04:25 PM

Thank you all for your kind comments.

It would be marvellous if it can be assigned to somewhere specific, like Surakarta.

Alan, the attached new pictures are the best I can manage at the moment; I hope there will be just enough for people to see.

A. G. Maisey · 25th March 2020, 10:37 PM

Thank you Tim.

The metuk of this spear does seem to be Surakarta, the kinatah work appears to be of a quality that would permit a Surakarta origin, as does the pamor work, however, the the garap of the blade is not in my opinion able to be attributed to Surakarta, and the decorative motif is unlike any Surakarta work I have ever seen.

The landeyan is not in even the smallest degree similar to the style of landeyan used on a Surakarta tombak. It is usual for a Surakarta landeyan to swell in the middle and taper to each end, this landeyan does not. A Surakarta landeyan will normally have a brongsong or sopal (a wrapping or tube that functions as a ferrule), and a tunjung of metal (a tunjung is the butt cover). This landeyan does not have a metal tunjung, but the presence of the metal brongsong, which is of a style that would permit a Surakarta attribution, indicates that it should have a tunjung. My feeling is that this landeyan is a European made replacement.

I'm sorry, but I cannot attribute this spear to any origin with any certainty.

I have tried to crop & process the scabbard from this image, in order to see if I can attribute it to a Javanese origin, but the base image is too small to permit this.

EDIT

This landeyan has some rotan wrapping, so maybe it is not of European manufacture, but rather it is a landeyan from a different source that has been married to this brongsong and then fitted to the tombak.

kai · 26th March 2020, 12:09 AM

Thanks for your comments,Alan!

Quote:

This landeyan has some rotan wrapping, so maybe it is not of European manufacture, but rather it is a landeyan from a different source that has been married to this brongsong and then fitted to the tombak.

The spiral landeyan is carved (rather than wrapped rattan) according to Tim. This is an unusual feature.

OTOH, I have seen several apparently genuine landeyan that exhibited the distinct swelling near the butt end (possibly covered by a tunjung originally?); maybe this feature could help to narrow down its origin?

Regards,
Kai

A. G. Maisey · 26th March 2020, 01:02 AM

I didn't pick that up Kai, but if it is carved that would in my opinion militate even more strongly against a Surakarta source. Bear in mind, I'm only saying what I believe it cannot be, I'm not floating an opinion with no foundation as to what it could be.

I've seen that swell at the butt of a spear shaft too, but never on a landeyan that I knew to originate in Central Jawa.

Normally when a tunjung is fitted to a Javanese shaft there is a very slight recess in the wood of the shaft to accomodate the thickness of the metal from which the tunjung is made, the tunjung does not stand proud of shaft.

kai · 27th March 2020, 11:55 PM

Thanks, Alan!

Kubur · 28th March 2020, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loedjoe

Thank you all for your kind comments.

It would be marvellous if it can be assigned to somewhere specific, like Surakarta.

Alan, the attached new pictures are the best I can manage at the moment; I hope there will be just enough for people to see.

Very nice curtain poles

22nd March 2020, 05:41 PM	#1
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	Spear, Sumatra or Java? Pamor similar to Uler lulut(?), a few millimetres of the tip of the blade missing, exceptionally delicate gold Naga heads on each side of the base of the blade, with topong makhota (crown with ear pieces) and inlaid eyes, gold decoration on the metuk, including tumpal and diamond patterns, and four ovals with a setting for a stone in the centre of each (stones missing). Dark brown/black wood shaft, a plain spiral carved the whole length. 184 cm, blade 24.5 cm, tang 17 cm, sleeve 15 cm. Is this Sumatran (I have seen similar pamor on Sumatran keris blades) or Javanese, or...? Attached Images

25th March 2020, 04:25 PM	#7
Loedjoe Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Oxford (UK) Posts: 96	Thank you all for your kind comments. It would be marvellous if it can be assigned to somewhere specific, like Surakarta. Alan, the attached new pictures are the best I can manage at the moment; I hope there will be just enough for people to see. Attached Images

25th March 2020, 10:37 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	Thank you Tim. The metuk of this spear does seem to be Surakarta, the kinatah work appears to be of a quality that would permit a Surakarta origin, as does the pamor work, however, the the garap of the blade is not in my opinion able to be attributed to Surakarta, and the decorative motif is unlike any Surakarta work I have ever seen. The landeyan is not in even the smallest degree similar to the style of landeyan used on a Surakarta tombak. It is usual for a Surakarta landeyan to swell in the middle and taper to each end, this landeyan does not. A Surakarta landeyan will normally have a brongsong or sopal (a wrapping or tube that functions as a ferrule), and a tunjung of metal (a tunjung is the butt cover). This landeyan does not have a metal tunjung, but the presence of the metal brongsong, which is of a style that would permit a Surakarta attribution, indicates that it should have a tunjung. My feeling is that this landeyan is a European made replacement. I'm sorry, but I cannot attribute this spear to any origin with any certainty. I have tried to crop & process the scabbard from this image, in order to see if I can attribute it to a Javanese origin, but the base image is too small to permit this. EDIT This landeyan has some rotan wrapping, so maybe it is not of European manufacture, but rather it is a landeyan from a different source that has been married to this brongsong and then fitted to the tombak. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 25th March 2020 at 10:52 PM.

22nd March 2020, 08:53 PM	#2
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Hello Tim, Very nice spear, indeed! The methuk seems separate? I'd lean towards the Jawa/Bali nexus. Regards, Kai

23rd March 2020, 05:28 AM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,229	Of the 3, this one is my favorite! Not helpful but honest.........

23rd March 2020, 11:11 AM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,794	Hello Tim, Very nice spears you have acquired! Like Kai I would go for Java or Bali for this one. Regards, Detlef

23rd March 2020, 12:30 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	No, not Bali, Jawa, I think probably Surakarta but I want check a reference.

23rd March 2020, 11:08 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	Tim, are you able to provide photos of both ends of the shaft so that we can see the form and detail of the ferrule and butt, and a full length photo of the tombak?

26th March 2020, 01:02 AM	#10
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,898	I didn't pick that up Kai, but if it is carved that would in my opinion militate even more strongly against a Surakarta source. Bear in mind, I'm only saying what I believe it cannot be, I'm not floating an opinion with no foundation as to what it could be. I've seen that swell at the butt of a spear shaft too, but never on a landeyan that I knew to originate in Central Jawa. Normally when a tunjung is fitted to a Javanese shaft there is a very slight recess in the wood of the shaft to accomodate the thickness of the metal from which the tunjung is made, the tunjung does not stand proud of shaft.

27th March 2020, 11:55 PM	#11
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Thanks, Alan!