Keris Sundang pictures for sharing or comment

[David]

Originally Posted by freebooter

I don't know if the listing has been edited David but it does say made in Indonesia???

Well Gav, i do make mistakes sometimes...however, i read completely through the description 4 times before posting this and while i probably can't prove it i am fairly certain that this little location disclosure was added sometime while i slept. It would have also been nice if he also added "Newly Made" to the location. These keris have an added feeling of age about them that might make the uneducated buyer think they are antique. Of course "Buyer Beware" always applies, but if i am going to be asked for comments on these blades and give my opinions on how they might look more "authentic" then i expect the seller to use FULL disclosure when bringing them to auction. As Kai Wee has stated, perhaps in the future silence would be best.
I would disagree with Paul. I don't think they are poorly made at all. They are a product i think the maker can be quite proud of. What really annoys me is that they are not proud enough of them to say "I made this...just yesterday!" Unfortunately in the keris world there seem to be a distain amongst some collectors for the new. But if no one is interested in new keris art it will simply recess into obscurity as it was about to do before it's revival in the latter part of the 20th century. That would be a great shame. These new work need to be accepted and appreciated on their own merits. There are pandai working today that are doing incredible and exceptional things in the keris arts technically, as good if not better than any empu of the past. But some of them are afraid that if they present their work as new no one will buy it.
The danger i see with these particular works is that it is the first time i have seen new "Moro-style" kris made is manner. Even stated "Made in Indonesia" is not enough because they might convince someone that they are old Malay sundang (which i believe is the intention). Considering the blade treatments no one who collects Moro is going to be fooled, but for me this auction needs full disclosure or it is indeed a deception by omission.