Balinese Keris Help

VANDOO · 30th May 2005, 04:41 PM

I WOULD SUSPECT THESE KERIS WERE MADE WITHIN THE LAST 60 YEARS THE BLADES MIGHT BE OLDER BUT THE FITTINGS ARE RECENT. HAVING SAID THAT I WILL SAY THAT THE CRAFTSMEN OF BALI ARE DOING A GOOD JOB AND THE GOOD RECENT STUFF IS WORTHY OF COLLECTING. THE STONES ARE AS MENTIONED REAL BUT COMMON LOW GRADE SPECIMINS THERE ARE RUBYS PROBABLY STAR TYPES WHICH ARE COMMON BUT MOSTLY FLAWED THE GOOD ONES ARE RARE AND EXPENSIVE AND ONLY TO BE FOUND ON THE TOP QUALITY BALI KERIS. THERE APPEAR TO BE TWO WHITE MOONSTONES, 3 RUBYS AND A BLACK STAR SAPPHIRE FROM THAILAND IN HIS BREACH CLOTH WHICH WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY SOME OF THE OTHERS. THERE ARE SOME BLUE STAR SAPPHIRE AND SOME OTHER STONES I CANT BE SURE OF. THE MEDAK HAS WHAT APPEAR TO BE GREEN STONES POSSIBLY JADE OR IMITATION IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL FROM PICTURES. THE SILVER WORK IS MUCH BETTER ON THE PENDOK THAN ON THE HANDLE, THE VERY BEST QUALITY BALINESE KERIS HAVE BETTER CARVING AND STONES BUT WE WON'T BE SEEING MANY OF THOSE AS I THINK THEY ARE MOSTLY MADE ON COMISSION FOR PEOPLE OF WEALTH. I THINK IT IS A NICE KERIS AND WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE IT IN MY COLLECTION.

THE KERIS ON EBAY ALSO LOOKS RECENT AND THE HANDLE IS A BLENDING OF TWO TRADITIONAL BALI TYPES AND LOOKS QUITE NICE. THE CRAFTSMEN OF BALI ARE VERY TALENTED AND ARE TURNING OUT SOME GOOD WORK AS WELL AS SOME INFERIOR EXAMPLES BUT IF YOU CAN GO FOR A VISIT AND HAVE DEEP POCKETS, YOU CAN FIND SOME EXCELLENT KERIS AS WELL AS OTHER WEAPONS. I SUSPECT SOME OF THE RARE WEAPONS OF THE OTHER ISLANDS IN THE INDONESIAN SPHERE ARE BEING MADE THERE, OR PERHAPS MADE IN OTHER LOCATIONS AND SHIPPED THERE FOR SALE. BALI IS A WORLD MARKET FOR FUN AND SOUVINEERS AND ALL QUALITYS AND BOTH THE REAL AND FABRICATED ANTIQUES CAN BE FOUND THERE. THIS KEEPS IT INTERESTING AND IS NOT A BAD THING BUT AS IT IS EVERYWHERE ELSE, THE BUYER MUST BE CAUTIOUS.

nechesh · 30th May 2005, 08:03 PM

Jacob, it looked fine in the eBay pics. Is this damage that happened in shipping? Was it insured? Is the seller accepting any responsibitlty? Perhaps you can send it back to him fior repair.

Rick · 30th May 2005, 09:18 PM

Not so fast boys ; check out the fifth thumbnail down on the original link.
This pendok was already broken !

Look at all the glue in the other auction pictures .
No doubt it came apart in transit , correct ?
I'd try to put it back together with epoxy and touch up the rip line/s with a suitable silver paint .

I'm so sorry Jacob .

I would think that the Seller should have at least mentioned the break and repair in the description (most do) but this is an ethical fine point .. I guess ...

Live and learn .

Rick · 30th May 2005, 11:29 PM

Bump for edit .

nechesh · 30th May 2005, 11:48 PM

Agreed Rick. Photo #5 certainly shows damage, but i assumed it was just to the pendok and just on that side. None of the photos suggest damage that extreme. It all comes back to the first law of collecting i guess; Let the buyer beware!

BluErf · 2nd June 2005, 03:45 PM

Hi Jacob,

I think you should contact the seller and ask him nicely what he can do with the silver work. I think if he wants to maintain a good long-term relationship (with you and undoubtedly the rest of collectors in this forum

), he would at least offer to help get a new pendok, if not partially offset the cost.

Not to worry, these silver pendoks are common and are too expensive. There are probably 'cottage factories' of silversmiths doing such work.

I would actually say that this keris and many others were refitted within the last 10 years.

30th May 2005, 09:18 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Hold On A Second ! Not so fast boys ; check out the fifth thumbnail down on the original link. This pendok was already broken ! Look at all the glue in the other auction pictures . No doubt it came apart in transit , correct ? I'd try to put it back together with epoxy and touch up the rip line/s with a suitable silver paint . I'm so sorry Jacob . I would think that the Seller should have at least mentioned the break and repair in the description (most do) but this is an ethical fine point .. I guess ... Live and learn . Last edited by Rick; 30th May 2005 at 11:29 PM.

30th May 2005, 04:41 PM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I WOULD SUSPECT THESE KERIS WERE MADE WITHIN THE LAST 60 YEARS THE BLADES MIGHT BE OLDER BUT THE FITTINGS ARE RECENT. HAVING SAID THAT I WILL SAY THAT THE CRAFTSMEN OF BALI ARE DOING A GOOD JOB AND THE GOOD RECENT STUFF IS WORTHY OF COLLECTING. THE STONES ARE AS MENTIONED REAL BUT COMMON LOW GRADE SPECIMINS THERE ARE RUBYS PROBABLY STAR TYPES WHICH ARE COMMON BUT MOSTLY FLAWED THE GOOD ONES ARE RARE AND EXPENSIVE AND ONLY TO BE FOUND ON THE TOP QUALITY BALI KERIS. THERE APPEAR TO BE TWO WHITE MOONSTONES, 3 RUBYS AND A BLACK STAR SAPPHIRE FROM THAILAND IN HIS BREACH CLOTH WHICH WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY SOME OF THE OTHERS. THERE ARE SOME BLUE STAR SAPPHIRE AND SOME OTHER STONES I CANT BE SURE OF. THE MEDAK HAS WHAT APPEAR TO BE GREEN STONES POSSIBLY JADE OR IMITATION IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL FROM PICTURES. THE SILVER WORK IS MUCH BETTER ON THE PENDOK THAN ON THE HANDLE, THE VERY BEST QUALITY BALINESE KERIS HAVE BETTER CARVING AND STONES BUT WE WON'T BE SEEING MANY OF THOSE AS I THINK THEY ARE MOSTLY MADE ON COMISSION FOR PEOPLE OF WEALTH. I THINK IT IS A NICE KERIS AND WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE IT IN MY COLLECTION. THE KERIS ON EBAY ALSO LOOKS RECENT AND THE HANDLE IS A BLENDING OF TWO TRADITIONAL BALI TYPES AND LOOKS QUITE NICE. THE CRAFTSMEN OF BALI ARE VERY TALENTED AND ARE TURNING OUT SOME GOOD WORK AS WELL AS SOME INFERIOR EXAMPLES BUT IF YOU CAN GO FOR A VISIT AND HAVE DEEP POCKETS, YOU CAN FIND SOME EXCELLENT KERIS AS WELL AS OTHER WEAPONS. I SUSPECT SOME OF THE RARE WEAPONS OF THE OTHER ISLANDS IN THE INDONESIAN SPHERE ARE BEING MADE THERE, OR PERHAPS MADE IN OTHER LOCATIONS AND SHIPPED THERE FOR SALE. BALI IS A WORLD MARKET FOR FUN AND SOUVINEERS AND ALL QUALITYS AND BOTH THE REAL AND FABRICATED ANTIQUES CAN BE FOUND THERE. THIS KEEPS IT INTERESTING AND IS NOT A BAD THING BUT AS IT IS EVERYWHERE ELSE, THE BUYER MUST BE CAUTIOUS.

30th May 2005, 08:03 PM	#2
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Jacob, it looked fine in the eBay pics. Is this damage that happened in shipping? Was it insured? Is the seller accepting any responsibitlty? Perhaps you can send it back to him fior repair.

30th May 2005, 11:29 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Bump for edit .

30th May 2005, 11:48 PM	#5
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Agreed Rick. Photo #5 certainly shows damage, but i assumed it was just to the pendok and just on that side. None of the photos suggest damage that extreme. It all comes back to the first law of collecting i guess; Let the buyer beware!

2nd June 2005, 03:45 PM	#6
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Hi Jacob, I think you should contact the seller and ask him nicely what he can do with the silver work. I think if he wants to maintain a good long-term relationship (with you and undoubtedly the rest of collectors in this forum ), he would at least offer to help get a new pendok, if not partially offset the cost. Not to worry, these silver pendoks are common and are too expensive. There are probably 'cottage factories' of silversmiths doing such work. I would actually say that this keris and many others were refitted within the last 10 years.