Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 53:
Keris Dagger from Java have some of the most distinctly carved hilts of all Indonesiankeris. The hilts may often take a variety of forms including various mythological and Javanesefolkloric characters. Other forms of hilt have a more naturalistic interpretation most oftenaround a carving, either stylized or more realistic of a bird. Often the cockatoo or other parrotsare the choice of representation and these can be seen on keris handle through the archipelago, from the highly stylized cockatoo form in the Malay Peninsula, to the kingfisher form in Sumatraand Pattani, Thailand, and to the Buis stylized Garuda bird form. Javanese representations of theparrot keep the representations within the confines of the Javanese hilt form, which is generallystraight and with less angular design like those in Bugis, Sumatra, or the Malay Peninsula.This example in the Schmiedt Collection is a finely carved image of a parrot, likely of Javaneseorigin though a similar Malay origin parrot is found in Ghiringelli 2011: pg 130. The scabbard isan interesting form with a Surakarta Gayaman form wrangka, and with a pendok of brassencasing the timber of the gandar. It is possible the pendok was repurposed from a European, likely Dutch, sword scabbard or was inspired by Dutch colonial sword scabbards.The blade is a straight form with a dapor betok with a linear pamor of thin close fitting linescalled ilining warih (Ki Empu Jhuel).First half of 20th century. Beautiful and rare example.Total Length (inside scabbard if present) : 20 1/2" 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 â€â€œ Sesuatu mengenai KERIS dan TOMBAK KERIS â€â€œ SENJATATRADISIONAL INDONESIA A to Z3. Ki Empu Jhuel. Pamor Keris4. Ghiringelli. V. (2007) The Invincible Krises 2. Saviolo Publisher5. Ghiringelle. V. (2011) Kris hilts: Masterpieces of South-east Asian Art. 5 Continents6. Van Zonneveld, A.G. (2001) Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago.Leiden: Art Books7. Gardner, G. B. (1936). Keris and Other Malay Weapons. EP Publ.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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