Bali Keris for Comment.

kai · 25th November 2017, 09:55 PM

Hello Leif,

Yes, good examples of this type are not common.

Quote:

Paul, Yes! You're absolutely right! There is one with residual filling! I can't believe I missed this.

I tried to take a few close up photos of this, and a few others were there's residual filling. It looks a bit like a blackish? resin of some kind. Almost like a wax. A black filling would fit with the aesthetic of the other examples.

Anyone have any clue what it might be? I'm wondering it it's restorable.

Probably cutler's resin, at least from what can be seen in the older hilt. This mix should be much harder (after cooling down) than wax to take a polish and prove robust enough. If the remnants are wax-like it might be a later attempt to cosmetically fill the holes with hard wax as usual with antique furniture.

Regards,
Kai

A. G. Maisey · 26th November 2017, 01:57 AM

Mr. Jensen was a very committed enthusiast and he reseached as well as could be reasonably expected from outside the relevant societies. He has my very great respect. His one shortcoming was an almost total lack of grassroots field research, and inadequacy of language skills. He was a very notable contributor to the body of keris literature. His work must be respected, but it can be questioned.

Balinese decorative art is all about effect. These indentations could have had anything inserted. Gemstones, even low grade ones I think would be unlikely, but glass, or scraps of gold foil would be quite likely.

Paul you have mentioned that you found these other names you have provided as possible alternatives to "cenangan" as "local".

May I ask you to clarify the meaning of "local" in this context?

Thank you.

Paul B. · 26th November 2017, 08:20 AM

What's local...maybe skip that word and call it alternative names. Names given to it in different parts of Indonesian areas / islands.
Here another example in my collection, the one we all know wrapped around with cord (sometimes hair) but the flower on top makes it less common.
These are usually asociated with a walikat dress?

26th November 2017, 01:57 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Mr. Jensen was a very committed enthusiast and he reseached as well as could be reasonably expected from outside the relevant societies. He has my very great respect. His one shortcoming was an almost total lack of grassroots field research, and inadequacy of language skills. He was a very notable contributor to the body of keris literature. His work must be respected, but it can be questioned. Balinese decorative art is all about effect. These indentations could have had anything inserted. Gemstones, even low grade ones I think would be unlikely, but glass, or scraps of gold foil would be quite likely. Paul you have mentioned that you found these other names you have provided as possible alternatives to "cenangan" as "local". May I ask you to clarify the meaning of "local" in this context? Thank you. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 26th November 2017 at 05:19 AM.

26th November 2017, 08:20 AM	#3
Paul B. Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 205	What's local...maybe skip that word and call it alternative names. Names given to it in different parts of Indonesian areas / islands. Here another example in my collection, the one we all know wrapped around with cord (sometimes hair) but the flower on top makes it less common. These are usually asociated with a walikat dress? Attached Images