rencong hilt question

[Maurice]

I have also a question about rencongs!
Where these rencongs made of elephant fossile molar hilts made for use or just for touristic perposes?

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Javagolok

I have also a question about rencongs!
Where these rencongs made of elephant fossile molar hilts made for use or just for touristic perposes?

Elephant fossil is not a standard material for rencongs, afaik. Your piece, doesn't have the look and feel of acehese aesthetics. The shape at the base of the blade is round instead of a hexagonal profile, the arc of the blade and the shape and design of the sheath... hmmm... perhaps a tourist piece (?)

[Bill M]

I have heard that while a few good Indonesian pieces (keris, as well) are made with fossil elephant molar for a wrongko, it is not a preferred material in Indonesia because it so easily damages the blade during removal and re-sheathing.

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Bill Marsh

I have heard that while a few good Indonesian pieces (keris, as well) are made with fossil elephant molar for a wrongko, it is not a preferred material in Indonesia because it so easily damages the blade during removal and re-sheathing.

For keris, it had been and is currently used as stated, I've seen old authentic examples as well(not touristy pieces). It's a nice material but fragile as stated. Some I've seen with repairs... made in the gayaman fashion and not the ladrang sheath form.

For rencong, I've yet to see real authentic old pieces, with fossil elephant molar.

[RhysMichael]

Originally Posted by Javagolok

I have also a question about rencongs!
Where these rencongs made of elephant fossile molar hilts made for use or just for touristic perposes?

There are rentcongs with the hilt made of the what is called white bone, hulu dandan. They are usually not this shape and I also have not seen any rentcong with fossilized elephant ivory.

That hilt and scabbard style do not say rentcong to me. Does it look more like a tumbuk lada or siwaih to anyone else except me ? I also think ivory is more common on them (though I am not familiar with fossil ivory being used). The blade does have more of the shape of a rentcong. As Alam Shah pointed out the base of the blade ( tampo ? )is round not hexagonal. Hexagonal would point more towards my tumbuk lada feeling. But I think tumbak lada are also found with round bases


Here is the heagonal base on a tumbuk lada blade for reference to what we are talking about






The round base on a siwaih



If I had to make a pick on Javagolok's piece I would have called it a siwaih.

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by AlamShah

For rencong, I've yet to see real authentic old pieces, with fossil elephant molar.

Alam Shah,
how about sewars?

Originally Posted by RhysMichael

That hilt and scabbard style do not say rentcong to me. Does it look more like a tumbuk lada or siwaih to anyone else except me ?

If I had to make a pick on Javagolok's piece I would have called it a siwaih.

Michael,

I looked in the book of Zonneveld about your opinion and indeed when I look at the pics and Text, I also think it comes the most near the Siwaih.

[asomotif]

Looks like we are wandering of from the question.

Ceremonial use ? Look at the picture.
Take a good rencong with L shaped hilt. put it in your belt the way the Acehnese wear them. Draw the rencong from the sheath.
It is one of the best close combat weapons I can imagine.

Apart from the fact that I will ofcourse prefer to stay out of any combat