Some questions about Balinese hilt cup.

[A. G. Maisey]

Gustav, I did not reply to your questions immediately because I wanted to speak with two Balinese friends who know far more than I do about Balinese keris.

I now have their input.

In your posted image, the keris on the right does look as if it could be Balinese, however, I have never seen this cup-selut arrangement on any Balinese keris. Both my friends were of the opinion that this cup-selut feature was definitely not Balinese, one suggested that somebody who did not understand Balinese keris culture might have had it fitted.

There are some Balinese uwer that have a rather short stem. This short stem is intended to fit up inside the hilt.

I have seen similar cup-stem fittings on South Sumatera keris.

I cannot recall having seen this cup-stem feature, nor anything like it, on Javanese keris, East Javanese nor otherwise.

I have seen a cup fitting without stem on both Bugis & Peninsula keris, one of these cup fittings was a silver coin hammered to a cup shape to fit the bottom of the hilt.