A pre-Christmas present
 

I have got a big box with some nice keris inside. Unfortunately they don't get enough care the last years, from outside i have cleaned them, now I have to care the blades. Here some pictures from the best ones (from my feeling), would like to read what you think about.

sajen

Here some pictures from the first on the left side, first picture.

The handle from the second one.

The blade from the third.

The blade from the first on the second picture.

A close up from the Palembang keris. Hope I can remove the rust without a new warangan because I am afraid that the gold get destoyed more by this.

And here the blade from the last one. I am corious what you think; is the elephant gandik original and is it an old blade?

I sold an extremely similar (maybe identical in form) keris many years ago. The only 2 differences were the condition (mine was 'new', no corrosion), and the dress was a Solo ladrangan. Otherwise, the exection could be said to be "out of the same mould".

The Palembang kinatah piece was still very much in perfect condition. Congrats Detlef?

BTW, could u post the pix of the kinatah at the upper part of the gonjo?

Thank you for respond BluErf. So you think that the elephant is a later addition? That is what I supposed, the outlines to sharp.

Unfortunately not anymore in a perfect condition.

Really nice!

Haven't you try to send it for repair? Are people who would do such restoration still exist?

I don't know if there in Indonesia people who can do a restoration like this. :shrug:

Nice keris
The blade from the third is my favourite :)

Thank you Marco, but the sarung is also not bad with kendit on warangka and hilt. ;)

Very nice. I like Madura (uler lulut?) too

Is it indeed uler lulut? I have seen this pamor on some maduran blades.

Regards,

Detlef

You must have been a good boy.Santa is apparently being very nice to you this year. And so early. Bt this can only mean that yo will only receive a bag of coal on Christmas Day. ;) :D
As for the Sumatran and the gold, i will say that i also have a Sumatran keris with gold and i was equally worried about washing and staining it. I held my breath and did it anyway and was quite pleased with my results. I can't guarantee your results, but it can be done. Mine is also missing a little bit of the kinatah, but i'm not sure there is anyone who cold restore it for me or if it wold be the best thing to do so. :shrug: :)

I try to be a good boy every day again! ;) Here in this part of Germany is coal a slang word for money, so I will be happy to get a bag like this!! :D
The kinatah on Sumatran blades is complete different then on Javanese or Balinese blades. I have one blade similar to this one and all gold is gone. First I will try to remove the rust without a new staining, when the result isn't good the blade get a new warangan.

About the Ganesha hilt: Is it ivory? It is to seen some porosity under his trunk. From the colour and the cracks it look like ivory.
And what do you think from where this hilt? I have never seen a hilt like this.

Hard to tell from the photo you provided. It might be horn (antler). I have something similar that i believe could be of Maduran origin.
:shrug: :)

Perhaps the best thing to do is NOT to repair. Maybe the result of repairing the kinatah would be unfavorable, since it is a dying art already...

As u know also there are lots of kerises with lost / stolen kinatah nowadays, and having one still intact (albeit imperfectly) was still sounds like a good news to me..

There's always the possibility that the kerises are made like that originally. :)

Hello David,

my guess is also deer horn since on the head is an inserted piece of the same material. I have had a phone with a collector friend and he also think that it is antler. About the origin: the handle shows in my eyes clearly Ganesha and my friend guess by this that the origin is Bali because the religious background. On the other hand is the design more like Cirebon or Madura. Would you be so kind to show your handle?

Detlef

I think that I will let it unrepaired, only when I find someone who can do it perfect I will change my mind. ;)

I have the hope! :) The elephant head is more thick than the blade at this point.

Detlef, this one isn't mine, but mine is a dead ringer for it (though i think mine is carved a bit better than this). I will also photograph mine in the next few days and post it.
This one has been IDed as coming from Madura so i have assumed that mine is also and since it bares quite a lot of stylistic elements in common with yours i would hazard that yours is also of the same origin. There have been enclaves of Hindus living in Madura and figurative hilts are very common there despite the Islamic majority.

Thank you David. There are indeed some identic elements by this hilt and it shows also Ganesha (?).

I'm not convinced this is Ganesha as he seems to sport more of a beak than a trunk. :shrug: :)

Maybe Garuda?