Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 227:
Keris from Madura have some of the most distinctly carved hilts of all Indonesian keris. The hilts often resemble Javanese form only in rough outline but are fantastically carvedwith various emblematic designs, some of which are playfully hidden within the complex Maduran floral carvings called gaya kembang, also known as the ginger-flower style, kembangtemu (Ghiringelli 2011). The island of Madura is located off the Northeast coast of Java and had a rich royal culture and history with a variety of symbolism employed to represent the royalfamily. One of the most iconic images found in Maduran royal imagery and keris hilts is the winged horse, Si Mega. Other imagery that is found on these so-called Donoriko style hiltsinclude Dutch colonial imagery, human beings, and other images of importance to the commissioner of the keris.This example in the Schmiedt Collection is a fine representation of the Maduran Donoriko style hilt with an interesting blade with an uncommon gandik carving. The hilt is a classic Madurancarved form in the Donoriko style, with a deep and well-formed gaya kembang floral carving showing the winged horse, Si Mega, carved on the inside curve of the handle. The mendak in theJavanese style, in granulated silver. The blade is a finely crafted Javanese form and with a rare 3 luk form approximated by the form called urubing dilah but with a carved human being in thegandik with an erect phallus. This imagery likely of some significance to the commissioner of the blade. The blade has a complex pamor pattern appearing to be a mix of ron pakis and blarak ngirid (Ki Empu Jhuel).First half of 20th century. Outstanding quality and rarity example.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 18 3/4" Blade Length : 16"References:1. Frey, E. (1988) The Kris: Mystic Weapon of the Malay World. Oxford University Press.2. Mardianto, W. A to Z Sesuatu mengenai KERIS dan TOMBAK KERIS SENJATATRADISIONAL INDONESIA A to Z3. Ki Empu Jhuel. Pamor Keris4. Ghiringelli. V. (2007) The Invincible Krises 2. Saviolo Publisher5. Van Zonneveld, A.G. (2001) Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago.Leiden: Art Books.Detailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
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