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Originally Posted by Gustav
I don't see much of an enigma in this hilt. As David Henkel once wrote, there was a craze in those days for innovation and hybrid styles around in Terengganu and Kelantan in 1920-1940.
It is quite clearly a Pipit Teleng hilt, all the main features (more or less bulging eyes together with the "chickens comb" etc.) are here, some planes being filled out and some lines accentuated with floral carvings.
If there are deviances in overall form, they might be dictated by the size and shape of the piece of ivory used, especially if marine ivory is used (and limitations of the maker - the floral carvings are not of the best quality, the posture stiff).
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Gustav, most of the Pipit Teleng hilts that i am familiar with do not, in fact, have bulging eyes. Sometimes there are some simple markings to delineate eyes, often there are no eyes at all. So i do not see bulging eyes as a common trait for Pipit Teleng at all. Also strange that you consider the posture "stiff" on this example. Mine has much more shape and curviness to it than most of the Pipit Teleng hilts i have seen, especially at the base and in the crossed arm. Frankly i find the posture for most Pipit Teleng to be rather stiff in general and this one seem more fluid to my eye that the more pure form Pipit Teleng forms. Perhaps you could show us some examples of Pipit Teleng hilts with bulging eyes and a less stiff form.
I do agree that the floral carvings are not "high quality", but they are unusual to this form and to my tastes, adding a level of personality and character to this hilt. I do believe that "enigma" was not quite the right word for what i was trying to express, but this hilt is unique and unusual to me. As i expressed in my opening post, if you have another hilt like it please post because i want to see it.
