Cleaning and polishing my bali-keris

asomotif · 23rd January 2010, 11:15 PM

Hello Njo,

Interesting result after cleaning.
The surface looks crystaline in some places.
Especially the pictures from the bottom.

And indeed translucent in some areas.
Based on these pictures I would almost say that it is some kind of stone / marble like material.

Is it heavy ??

Ps. what did the hot pin test do ? Any smell of burned hair
If it is a sort of stone a hot pin would do nothing I guess.

Maybe you can finish the hilt with some dark antique wax an rub that out again. Tha will accentuate the carvings and relief again.
Although now cleaned the carvings look better than before cleaning

Best regards,
Willem

njo kesasar · 23rd January 2010, 11:54 PM

Rick David Asomotif
The burn test gives a wooden smell (did the test on the hilt as well on an Indonesian statue cut out of horn to compare, both with that result, so perhaps my nose is not that fine anymore

)
It´s heavy compared to his size
njo

njo kesasar · 24th January 2010, 12:17 AM

Some BW pictures if that may help (perhaps a workshop in taking good pictures for this forum?)

njo kesasar · 24th January 2010, 09:20 PM

Really nobody who can tell me who the person is?
Can someone show me the way then which literature or internetsite to consult?
THKS for your suggestions
Njo

Rick · 25th January 2010, 01:42 AM

I think the problem we run into with positively identifying these Bali Figural hilts is called 'Artistic License' or 'Carver's Interpretation' .

Unless they are unmistakable in their form they are open to interpretation .

A. G. Maisey · 25th January 2010, 09:37 PM

Yes Rick, that's pretty true, especially with figures that are current era production.

If we go back to before about the 1930's, I think we probably see figures in Balinese carving that are more readily identifiable with specific entities, but when we move into the current era we find a more free interpretation by carvers, and a lot of figures that could be regarded as generic representations.

I'm not talking just about keris hilts, but about Balinese carvings of all shapes, sizes and qualities.

In the case of this hilt under discussion, I feel that what we have is a generic demon --- the fangs --- so let's call him a raksasa.

24th January 2010, 12:17 AM	#3
njo kesasar Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 17	Some BW pictures if that may help (perhaps a workshop in taking good pictures for this forum?) Attached Images

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23rd January 2010, 11:15 PM	#1
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,235	Hello Njo, Interesting result after cleaning. The surface looks crystaline in some places. Especially the pictures from the bottom. And indeed translucent in some areas. Based on these pictures I would almost say that it is some kind of stone / marble like material. Is it heavy ?? Ps. what did the hot pin test do ? Any smell of burned hair If it is a sort of stone a hot pin would do nothing I guess. Maybe you can finish the hilt with some dark antique wax an rub that out again. Tha will accentuate the carvings and relief again. Although now cleaned the carvings look better than before cleaning Best regards, Willem

23rd January 2010, 11:54 PM	#2
njo kesasar Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 17	Rick David Asomotif The burn test gives a wooden smell (did the test on the hilt as well on an Indonesian statue cut out of horn to compare, both with that result, so perhaps my nose is not that fine anymore ) It´s heavy compared to his size njo

24th January 2010, 09:20 PM	#4
njo kesasar Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 17	Really nobody who can tell me who the person is? Can someone show me the way then which literature or internetsite to consult? THKS for your suggestions Njo

25th January 2010, 01:42 AM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	I think the problem we run into with positively identifying these Bali Figural hilts is called 'Artistic License' or 'Carver's Interpretation' . Unless they are unmistakable in their form they are open to interpretation .

25th January 2010, 09:37 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Yes Rick, that's pretty true, especially with figures that are current era production. If we go back to before about the 1930's, I think we probably see figures in Balinese carving that are more readily identifiable with specific entities, but when we move into the current era we find a more free interpretation by carvers, and a lot of figures that could be regarded as generic representations. I'm not talking just about keris hilts, but about Balinese carvings of all shapes, sizes and qualities. In the case of this hilt under discussion, I feel that what we have is a generic demon --- the fangs --- so let's call him a raksasa.