Kris naga

David · 30th May 2021, 04:43 PM

Well the hilt confuses me. It looks to be metal. Brass? I don't think the hilt can be particularly helpful identifying the origin of the blade however.

Jean · 30th May 2021, 08:19 PM

Hello David,
Yes, the hilt looks to be made from (cast?) brass or gilt brass and is not standard for a kris hilt but it may be an indicator of the origin... I will see and comment upon receipt.
Regards

A. G. Maisey · 30th May 2021, 09:44 PM

Jean, I cannot see sufficient in these photos to take a guess at origin, but I do find the trifolate greneng features interesting. This type of greneng has been noted in some very old blades. My feeling is East Jawa, this is not a guess, not an opinion, it is a feeling.

Jean · 31st May 2021, 08:59 AM

Thank you Alan, I will send better pic as soon as I can.

Athanase · 31st May 2021, 11:21 AM

Hello,

I have already seen this style of handle 2 or 3 times sometimes with more basic Kriss blades. The patina and finish of the handles reminded me of something from the second half of the 20th century and at least one of the associated kriss blades was from the same period with certainty.
It is because of these doubts about the age of the handle (and also a little bit of the blade, the photos in the sale are not good) that I did not bid.

Jean · 31st May 2021, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Athanase

Hello,

I have already seen this style of handle 2 or 3 times sometimes with more basic Kriss blades. The patina and finish of the handles reminded me of something from the second half of the 20th century and at least one of the associated kriss blades was from the same period with certainty.
It is because of these doubts about the age of the handle (and also a little bit of the blade, the photos in the sale are not good) that I did not bid.

Well, to me this blade does not look like the recent naga blades from Madura but I will confirm upon receipt. Your opinion is the third one which I received (plus my own), and all are different! Regarding the hilt, my concern is more whether it is suitable for a kris than its age, but again I will confirm.

David · 31st May 2021, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean

Regarding the hilt, my concern is more whether it is suitable for a kris than its age, but again I will confirm.

Well, i couldn't say for sure that this hilt isn't suitable for any keris. My early response in regards to this was only to say that a hilt can never really be used as an indication of the origin of the blade, unless we can be sure that it has been with that blade since the very beginning. And even then the origin of the hilt cannot be guaranteed to identify the origin of the blade.

I will wait for better images of this blade before making any comments on age, though i'm not sure that the trifolate greneng Alan remarked upon guarantees this to be a blade of any particular age since keris makers often copy older styles in later works. The seller's photos are certainly not clear enough to make any definitive remarks on the age, though unless this keris was in some European collection for a very long time i wouldn't suspect it to be of any great age.

30th May 2021, 04:43 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,218	Well the hilt confuses me. It looks to be metal. Brass? I don't think the hilt can be particularly helpful identifying the origin of the blade however.

30th May 2021, 08:19 PM	#2
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	Hello David, Yes, the hilt looks to be made from (cast?) brass or gilt brass and is not standard for a kris hilt but it may be an indicator of the origin... I will see and comment upon receipt. Regards

30th May 2021, 09:44 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Jean, I cannot see sufficient in these photos to take a guess at origin, but I do find the trifolate greneng features interesting. This type of greneng has been noted in some very old blades. My feeling is East Jawa, this is not a guess, not an opinion, it is a feeling.

31st May 2021, 08:59 AM	#4
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	Thank you Alan, I will send better pic as soon as I can.

31st May 2021, 11:21 AM	#5
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 420	Hello, I have already seen this style of handle 2 or 3 times sometimes with more basic Kriss blades. The patina and finish of the handles reminded me of something from the second half of the 20th century and at least one of the associated kriss blades was from the same period with certainty. It is because of these doubts about the age of the handle (and also a little bit of the blade, the photos in the sale are not good) that I did not bid.