keris hilts for identification

A. G. Maisey · 2nd March 2017, 10:00 PM

A hilt should harmonise with the wrongko.

Blades within wrongkos can vary significantly in origin, and might not come from the same geographic point of origin as the dress. We sometimes find Bugis, Madura sepuh, and Balinese blades in Central Jawa dress.

Why?

Mostly because in times past the local rulers employed people from these areas as mercenaries. But another reason is because somebody from another region has moved to a new area, and has brought his keris with him.

Then there is trade. There are lots of Madurese and Javanese blades from Jawa and Madura in wrongkos from all over Maritime S.E. Asia. This trade started in Mojopahit times and continued through Mataram and right into the 19th century. I have a Bugis keris that was collected in Batavia in about 1920 that has an easily identifiable Madurese blade in it, and the wrongko was made for this blade.

All across S.E.Asia, and beyond, Javanese blades had a reputation for very high quality, and during Mataram times they formed a significant item of trade. They were even traded as far as Sri Langka.

Blades from some places can carry all of the characteristics of blades from other places, for example, the Palembang blades that look exactly like Central Jawa blades, or the multitude of Bugis blades that look so similar that it is often self delusion to form an opinion that a blade comes from one place or another.

Dress should harmonise and relate to geographic area.

Blades within dress can vary.

Green · 3rd March 2017, 12:13 PM

Many thanks Alan for the above explanation.

On another note, my understanding is that one of the features of 'old' (but not necessarily antique) hilts is to see the hairline cracks on the material. I have seen a lot of new bone hilt carvings and they do not show these cracks.

All the above hilts pictured show marked cracks and I would assume that they would be 'old' as cracks would only appear as they age? . Is this understanding wrong? in other words do new hilts also show cracks?

2nd March 2017, 10:00 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	A hilt should harmonise with the wrongko. Blades within wrongkos can vary significantly in origin, and might not come from the same geographic point of origin as the dress. We sometimes find Bugis, Madura sepuh, and Balinese blades in Central Jawa dress. Why? Mostly because in times past the local rulers employed people from these areas as mercenaries. But another reason is because somebody from another region has moved to a new area, and has brought his keris with him. Then there is trade. There are lots of Madurese and Javanese blades from Jawa and Madura in wrongkos from all over Maritime S.E. Asia. This trade started in Mojopahit times and continued through Mataram and right into the 19th century. I have a Bugis keris that was collected in Batavia in about 1920 that has an easily identifiable Madurese blade in it, and the wrongko was made for this blade. All across S.E.Asia, and beyond, Javanese blades had a reputation for very high quality, and during Mataram times they formed a significant item of trade. They were even traded as far as Sri Langka. Blades from some places can carry all of the characteristics of blades from other places, for example, the Palembang blades that look exactly like Central Jawa blades, or the multitude of Bugis blades that look so similar that it is often self delusion to form an opinion that a blade comes from one place or another. Dress should harmonise and relate to geographic area. Blades within dress can vary.

3rd March 2017, 12:13 PM	#2
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 323	Many thanks Alan for the above explanation. On another note, my understanding is that one of the features of 'old' (but not necessarily antique) hilts is to see the hairline cracks on the material. I have seen a lot of new bone hilt carvings and they do not show these cracks. All the above hilts pictured show marked cracks and I would assume that they would be 'old' as cracks would only appear as they age? . Is this understanding wrong? in other words do new hilts also show cracks?