Quote:
Originally Posted by drac2k
This question often comes up and while I can not comment on your blade, this style of engraving has been around since at least prior to 1926(see enclosed "Krieger 1926 Philippine Ethnic Weapons Plate 7.png). I have seen pictures of similarly engraved captured weapons by General Pershing from the Smithsonian, so I'm guessing this mode of design could go back to the early 1900's or before.
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I don't think there is any question of Moro blades being engraved on the blades dating back to the early 1900s, but i am afraid that the illustration you have presented does not really show well enough if it is done in the same style. But we have to look at more than just similar motifs, since okir patterns are traditional and are used over long periods of time. We need to look at execution and think about what tools might have made the engraving. To my eye the engravings on this keris look machine made rather than hand incised. And there is not separate gangya, which also hints put at a particular timeline, even though there were some old exceptions to that rule. I still feel comfortable dating this to the 1950s-60s.