Metal wrapped javanese hilt

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

.....old Banyumas pendoks do show a particular type of engraving that is very similar to that which can be seen on this hilt.

.... I've seen the occasional old Jogja hilt with similar work too, but I have never seen it on old Surakarta items, nor on items that were recognised as coming from other areas.

Now you seems very sure that it is Central Java (where form, I'm agree speaking from modern understanding), you mention at first 'no idea at all where it might have been made' then 'very probable Surakarta' (even you note that you are not speaking that it was made in Surakarta) then somehow you associate it with Banyumas given remarkable similar engraving style-and that is very different from Surakarta and Ngayogyakarta. I'm sorry but if you have another two minutes could you please elaborate how such engraving can be positively associated with Banyumas? I thought Banyumas style are more notable for their embossing so I must be wrong in this case so I hope you don't mind to spend another minute or two to enlighten me on how to differentiate Banyumas style pendoks from their Surakarta counterpart in their engraving technique or is it the quality of workmanship that qualify, material or the decoration?

On the occasional jogja hilt with similar work that you refer, is it the work (technique etc), material, decoration or are you try to explain something else in here? Or is it simply Putri Kinurung jogja hilt?

Within my perception nunggak semi hilt is nothing alien in Sunda society (you might want to find some internet photos on some royal Sunda museum collection of Cirebon and Sumedang to illustrate this), and I'm not just speaking about modern day collector who collect just about everything in here. If decoration is important, I can show a very simple hilt where there's no distinct scroll work, mega mendung motif etc needed by a Sundanese to express his work. On the other hand, I can not see how the decoration on Detlef's hilt can be associated with Central Java (other than the overall shape which we all agree) as we in Central Java are crazy about how neat and delicate the cecekan (patra) is etc, a feature usually even missing in Sunda region. I also remember the decoration on the back of the hilt somewhere in a Sundanese sword metal sheath, but I can't remember which piece until now as I've handle quite a few of these. Further the material is not something preferred in Central Java where things, traditionally, doesn't move much from wood or ivory. This is not the case with Sunda. We witness how parallel the West and East Java in terms of hilt variation and examples has been shown by both regions, including the core-metal technique. Also not to forget that many Sunda hilt has a low grade silver or mamas selut which is often poorly done (and very distinct from Surakarta selut), the material is nothing but similar to those I understand as Banyumas pendok.

Thank you in advance for your time.