A confusing Malay? keris.

[Rafngard]

Hello All,

I picked this up a while back from an ebay seller I suspect maybe a forum member. I'm confused by it. Unlike nearly every other keris I've seen, the blade seems like it'd make a pretty good utility knife. The shape of the blade isn't like something I've seen before, and after digging through a number of books and forum posts, I'm still coming up blank. It almost looks as if it came from a severely shortened keris panjang.

The Jawa Demam hilt reminds me of something I've seen declared to be pattani, but I'm grasping at straws here.

So, any thoughts on origin? Was it born this way?

Thanks,
Leif

[David]

I would need to see better photos, but the blade seems to terminate strangely. I would say it is very possible a shortened blade.

[Jean]

I agree with David that this old blade was probably shortened from a bahari or alang blade.
The hilt is in Jawa demam/ anak ayam/ pipit teleng style found in East Sumatra, Malaysia, and Pattani.
The gandar of the scabbard is in Bugis style while the dua hari bulan (moon crescent) style scabbards usually have a rounded tip so it may have been replaced, see pic.
Regards

[mariusgmioc]

Hello guys,
I don't know much about kerises, but to my eyes this one appears to be put up together from different pieces that initially didn't belong together.

[kai]

Hello Leif,

I agree that this seems to be a bahari blade (length?). It may well have been shortened; however, it may also be a Malay variant of the well-known Bangkinang style. Some close-ups would be good.

I don't know much about kerises, but to my eyes this one appears to be put up together from different pieces that initially didn't belong together.

I see where you come from, Marius - we'll probably never know though: It could also be a legit piece that got repaired in a modest village environment...

Regards,
Kai