Pattern Welded Straight Kris

[F. de Luzon]

Originally Posted by Ian

If we believe Cato, then this appears to be a Maranao kris (based on the elephant trunk area). The shape of the scabbard would support that attribution also. The blade is a little slimmer (emphasis mine-F.dL) than many Maranao examples which makes me think it is likely to be an older one, say early to mid-19th C. The hilt seems more recent, as does the scabbard which has been nailed rather than glued or wrapped.

Hi Lee,

This is a very interesting blade. I agree with Ian and the others that the details suggest that it is a Maranao kris. However, it does not look slimmer than usual to me. I think that the 24 inch length of the blade just gave it a thinner looking profile.

One of the common observations that I agree with is that older Moro krises tend to be shorter (+/- 18 to 21 inches). The 24 inch length of the present example makes it more in common with 20th century pieces. Also, somehow based on the style (aside from the separate gangya), my gut tells me that it comes from the 1920s-1930s. That is clearly an unscientific assumption but my familiarity (as a historian) with the "vibe" of the time tells me so. But again, this is not at present a substantiated opinion. I'm just sharing what I think based on what I'm seeing on a computer monitor.

This kris is a precious example. I hope to one day add something like it to my collection. Congratulations on your good find!

Kind regards,

Fernando (F de Luzon)