help in identifying keris

nechesh · 8th January 2005, 03:33 PM

I tend to agree that this is a recent keris. The paintinting is certainly late 20thC and seems a bit untraditional in design. The hilt, however, does seem to show a nice patina and i wonder if it might have at least a bit of age to it. It seems to depict a wayang character. It's hard to tell from your pictures, but it looks as if the nose might have been broken and then repaired. Given the wayang motif and the obvious abuse the dress has seen i wonder if this keris might have been for use in the wayang plays. I find the term "tourist keris" it be used all too often. It is very possible that this keris was meant for export sale, but the word tourist implies too many things that this keris is not. As has been remarked, the metal work is not too bad. The quality of the hilt carving also appears to be pretty good. The mendak, though probably recent, is a much higher quality than one can sometimes see on much nicer keris. It looks like a blue enamel if i'm not mistaken. I see these enamel mendaks rarely. It is also possible that all these elements were collected and assembled to create an ensemble for export sale. Does the sheath fit the blade perfectly like it was made for it? If it does it would not be so quick to deny that this keris may have served some ethnographic purpose such as being a wayang prop.

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8th January 2005, 03:33 PM	#4
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	I tend to agree that this is a recent keris. The paintinting is certainly late 20thC and seems a bit untraditional in design. The hilt, however, does seem to show a nice patina and i wonder if it might have at least a bit of age to it. It seems to depict a wayang character. It's hard to tell from your pictures, but it looks as if the nose might have been broken and then repaired. Given the wayang motif and the obvious abuse the dress has seen i wonder if this keris might have been for use in the wayang plays. I find the term "tourist keris" it be used all too often. It is very possible that this keris was meant for export sale, but the word tourist implies too many things that this keris is not. As has been remarked, the metal work is not too bad. The quality of the hilt carving also appears to be pretty good. The mendak, though probably recent, is a much higher quality than one can sometimes see on much nicer keris. It looks like a blue enamel if i'm not mistaken. I see these enamel mendaks rarely. It is also possible that all these elements were collected and assembled to create an ensemble for export sale. Does the sheath fit the blade perfectly like it was made for it? If it does it would not be so quick to deny that this keris may have served some ethnographic purpose such as being a wayang prop.