Kris stands on Bali belong to a category called 'togog' meaning free standing sculptures. Usually these stands depict mythological heroes, gods, demons, sages or priests and were placed near the entrance of a palace or nobleman's house to receive the kris of a male visitor. In former times a man was dressed when he wore his kris at the back. Favoured stands were also in use of the kris owner, although special and valuable krisses were most likely stored outside view. Kris stands can also be placed on an altar in the family temple of prominent people. I such cases the kris serve as replacement for a person or a temporary abode for an ancestor or god. The present item is rare in that it does not represent a hero or god, but a naked young woman. Nudity or semi-nakedness is not uncommon in Balinese culture, but as a kris stand it is quite unique. In this case the woman is depicted completely nude, without adornments and the long hair flowing over her back. The hair is typically not tied into a bun, indicating her status of seniorship, but instead denoting her age on the brink of maturity. Upon closer inspection we see tiny wooden pegs driven into the wood around the now visible pudenda, most probably to attach pubic hair. Traces of white in the hair may indicate that she originally wore flower heads. Her eyes are not fixated on the kris she holds in front, but instead she gazes into infinity as if the artist wanted to emphasize the current condition in which she is depicted, completely nude. We know of kris holders depicted as (semi-) naked toddlers on their first anniversary, as for instance one held at the Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, inv. nr. 7082-S-4403 shows. These stands probably allude to a certain condition in life, a rite of passage, being a lesser known category in Balinese sculpture. Concerning the age, the present item with its worn surface as a result of handling over a long period of time may well be assigned to the second half of the 19th or early 20th century. (A more elaborated report in Dutch on this kris stand is available on request)

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holding a cup between his hands, wearing a high tapered crown, a bracelet and an ear ornament on his right; features with black pigment. Ex collection Herbert Juan da Silva, The Hague and private Dutch collection.

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the arms W-configuration. Provenance, Yann Ferrandin, Paris.

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with rattan reinforcements

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the horn hilt terminating into two singa heads, brass collar, notched wooden sheath

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standing female figure holding her breasts in her hands, two struts shaped as a fish flanking the body, operculae shell eyes, the hairdo shows marine fibre tufts at the back. According to the former owner this piece belonged to an Austrian collection, 1880. An old illegible label attached to the handle below. Provenance, Austrian collection by repute, Jan Visser, Amsterdam, Willem Zwiep, Amsterdam, 1997 en Maarten van Straaten, The Hague.

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eyes set with white glass beads.

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with deep carved ornaments and on the upper right part a notched snake figure. Provenance Christie's Amsterdam, ex lot 220, 06-03-1990 and private Dutch collection.

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with a delicate incised floral pattern.

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two with dear horn hilt, the other with wooden hilt. All with a knife, piso. Herewith a loose piso.

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with incised zig-zag motifs.

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in squatting position, wearing a hair band, black patina.

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the crouching figure holding the jaw with his raised hands, a piece of cloth in between the legs, the back of the figure and the shaft well-ornamented. Ex-collection Leo van Oosterom

pamor iron blade and metok, pentagonal mamut tooth hilt, the horn belt clip secured with three silver bands.

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so called ' block korwar' , the lids carved in relief, small glass beads as eye. Provenance: Kees Timmer

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carved with an angular figure in red on a white ground. Provenance, Els Verhey, Tribal Design, Amsterdam and private collection Amsterdam.

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on the exterior a notched central circular pattern, two suspension holes, two eyes and a nose.

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with a figure, made of wood, hide, cotton and bone. Provenance: Kees Timmer, artist, Rotterdam

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wood, metal and bone.

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The top deep-relief carving and a rectangular cartouche in low relief showing a standing korwar figure.

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straight pamor blade, wooden hilt shaped as a floralised ganesha, silver collar, selt set with coloured stones, silvered slorok pendok, the reverse showing incised laurel wreath and characters.

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both ends decorated with a figure in high-relief, interconnected by a meandering snake, traces of white and red pigments. Provenance: Kees Timmer, artist, Rotterdam.

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cotton lappets; herewith a beaten barkcloth panel with coloured pattern. ex-collection Schoolverzameling Koloniaal Instituut, Amsterdam. Provenance: Kees Timmer, artist, Rotterdam.

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shaped as a horse, handles silver mounted.

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The hilt terminating into a Lasara head with a small demon figure, bekhu, at the back of the head, brass collar and sheath strips, animal teeth surrounding the rattan amulet.

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the front executed with a lizard in high-relief.

strings of cassowary feathers and seeds attached to the crocodile's jaw.

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in the centre a roundel with incised flower vase.

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Provenance, Tom Stappers, The Hague and Piet Lepelaar Leiden.

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of hourglass shape, the handle with two heads. Provenance: Kees Timmer, artist, Rotterdam.

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on both sides decorated with a squatting figure reserved on a blackish ground, rattan bindings.

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Provenance, Christie's South Kensington, 30 -06-1987, lot 206. with old collection number at the bottom, in white lacquer 76676.

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one end carved as a squatting figure.

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showing two korwar heads; herewith two Timor horn spoons.

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Provenance: Kees Timmer, Rotterdam.

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shaped as a Singha with silver inlay. Herewith a cutter in a horse shape with silver mounted handles and two Indian brass cutters. One stand.

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decorated with a key pattern and long stringed beads. Provenance: Kees Timmer, artist, Rotterdam.

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with inlay garnets.

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showing a repousse male head and a pair of Central Flores ear pendants.

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spearhead-shaped, below the rattan binding an anthropomorphic head.

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the upper registers with floral patterns, the lower with stylised creatures and ornaments; herewith an Ambon miniature cloves vessel with four rowing figures. Provenance: Kees Timmer, artist, Rotterdam.

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with tufts of human hair, rattan reinforcements and painted patterns.

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covered in a fine rattan plating. The grip with a carved feline with pray.

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