Antique kris collections on view in Jakarta

By Tobias Glucksman and Jason Tejasukmana

JAKARTA (JP): Hidden amongst the lights, flags, fanfare and festivities of Indonesia's fifty years of independence, another equally solemn, relatively unheralded celebration of the kris (traditional dagger) is taking place at the BRI II building on Jl. Sudirman.

For the newcomer to the world of the kris, or for those Indonesians who find profound meaning in the kris' craftsmanship, beauty and magic, this collection of daggers -- spanning twelve centuries (8th to present) -- may be an unprecedented opportunity to view such a diverse, high quality collection of these works of art.

The kris on sale come from various private collections and will be on sale until Sept. 5. Prices start around Rp 650,000 and range in price up to Rp 15 million, though the average is around Rp 2 million. A certain, unspecified percentage of each sale will be donated to the Yayasan Sekar Melati, a children's charity.

The exhibition begins as the doors to the elevator open on the 30th floor to the Enteos Club and to a massive six-foot ornamental kris, encased in glass, which easily dwarfs the remaining pieces in the exhibition. The shear magnitude, detail and glitter of precious metals and gems incorporated into the dagger forewarns, or reminds, visitors that the world of the kris, which they have just entered, is one of power, significance and beauty.

Within the Enteos Club, one is overcome again, this time by the array of high-quality daggers on display, their diverse aesthetic styles and the many regions from which they have been gathered.

Perhaps as many as a hundred kris are being shown. Some have straight blades, said by some to represent the sarpa tapa, or snake in meditation, while other curved blades have as many as twenty-seven whips, said to represent the sarpa lumaku, or snake in movement. Some have highly ornamental sheaths and handles made from gold laden in precious gems, while others are carved in sandalwood, mangowood or teak.

Each kris, regardless of style or technique, seems to have its own magical identity. At the center of this identity is undoubtedly the asymmetrical blade and its distinctive patterns achieved by the alternating lamination of iron and nickel (often as many as sixty four times).

The curator of the exhibit explained that there were thirty three distinct parts to each kris blade, each with its own name. Though the style and patterns of the blade help determine a work's significance, there are actually several visual and spiritual aspects of a kris which determine its true worth: origin, age, intactness, workmanship, shape, the quality of the iron, steel and the iron alloy used in the blade as well as its history and the rituals performed during its construction.

Though the history of most kris are perhaps known only by their owners, the short history provided for one smaller kris with a simple sandalwood handle exemplifies the weight a dagger's past can add to present stature. Apparently this smaller sized two-patterned kris called tirto teja is made specifically for a royal Javanese woman. The owner, after marrying a non-Javanese man, felt compelled to relinquish it to another Javanese woman. Today, the dagger is thought to hold great spiritual powers; perhaps partly due to its past owners' fidelity to custom.

Another kris on exhibit, the Pusaka Senar, demonstrates the diverse aesthetic styles and meanings which have developed in kris craftsmanship. This dagger is molded into the shape of a clown from the Wayang story. The clown design, however, represents a personification of the one God above all other deities. This kris is said to have great mystical power.

An added bonus at the exhibition is an area devoted to explaining the process involved in making a kris. To help clarify the technical process, Empu Subandi, one of five remaining kris craftsmen in Solo, is also available to answer questions.

Empu Subandi explained that it takes about three weeks to make a kris blade (bila/wilah); roughly similar lengths of time are required to make the sheath (warangka) and handle (hulu).

"In creating a kris which will hold powers, though, the owner must begin work on his kris only on a certain day in accordance with his birthday, and only during a certain moon," Empu Subandi explained.

"The process of adding power to a kris can take place over a lifetime and it involves very special ceremonies of fasting and mediation," he added. "During each ceremony more power is added to the kris."

Empu Subandi explained that the blades which he made on regular basis today might sell for as much as Rp 1.5 million when complete. An antique kris of good quality, which also is believed to hold powers, might sell for as much as Rp 30 million.

Although he knows how to craft kris blades, Empu Subandi noted that the other components, such as the mendak (the metal part between the handle and blade), the ganja (the base of the blade), the handle and sheath are typically made by other specialized craftsmen, or empu, the Javanese title given to an artist of masterful talent.

The kris exhibition will remain at the Enteos Club until September 5; afterwards, those daggers which have not been sold will be moved to a first floor shop in the Hotel Ambhara near Blok M.

Auction preview

Kris enthusiasts will also have a chance to see a preview of Indonesian and Malaysian kris (with estimates ranging from S$500 - $2000) from European collections this weekend at the Summit Room in the Jakarta Convention Center.

Singapore-based Gavel's Auctioneers will hold a public exhibition of 52 kris and 21 pieces of antique Yogyakarta silver this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m to 8 p.m, after which time the exhibit will move to Singapore. The collection, which also includes fine jewelry, pocket watches and wrist watches, will be auctioned in Singapore on Sept.2 at the Shangri-La Hotel. Fully illustrated catalogs will also be available.