Hope so!!!!!! :)

As much as I am appreciative of the continued interest in these pieces, I must also ask for your continued patience, gentlemen. :)

I am still trying to work a deal for it, and don't want to risk jinxing its acquisition by posting it until I know one way or the other - hopefully I'll be able to post it by this weekend... :)

Well, two weeks of attempted negotiation ended with a giant FAIL.

The seller of this kris turned out to be more fickle than a bipolar pregnant teenager. In the end, he decided to go for a quick buck rather than work with me to keep the collection together. While grateful for having had the opportunity to acquire the three pieces I did, this is tempered somewhat by this individual's apathy towards the historical provenance of these pieces and the historical significance to two cultures.

Anyway, now that I will not be adding this kris to the three blades that had previously belonged to Brig. Gen. Brett, I am posting the photos of, well, the "kris that got away."

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7...gotaway1k1.jpg

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/4...gotaway1k2.jpg

Oh, my.

holy smokes, she is gorgeous!!! what lines, ill never be able to look at my own boring solitary keris the same way again..

with provenance aswell...a real shame they couldnt have stayed as a set.

is the hilt furtniture gold?

Possibly swassa laid over another metal. I'm hoping the seller will find it in himself to put me in touch with the person to whom he sold it so I can at least have the opportunity to reunite the whole set. :shrug:

This piece appears to have a round tang, or Pesi .
Imo, it is pretty early; possibly even transitional Moro .

Or old Borneo/Brunei ??

It seems the point has been degraded, or altered ?

No close up . :shrug:

Unfortunate that you and the Seller could not work something out . :(

I've been thinking transitional as well... it seems to carry characteristics of both keris/kris. I might have a close-up photo of the blade tip - I'll have to check.

Re: the seller, I truly regret it. On hone hand, I'm still a little peeved about it - the historical significance of it was lost on him, and though I made my case for the importance of keeping the four pieces together, he was indifferent. Yet while this pisses me off somewhat, at the end of the day, it is his prerogative, and it is he who informed me of the (availability of the) collection in the first place.

Anyway, what's done is done, and now I have to continue to appeal to his sense of better judgement and hope he puts me in touch with the new owner.

I agree Rick, I think it is the earliest Moro kris I have ever seen. Filigree is incredible and for me points to Sulu origin (as well as the top part of the blade).

I would LOVE to have had this piece in my collection........

Let's keep the hope alive, Jose... I would love to give you the chance! Even if the collection is split, I would prefer if a) the kris went to someone who appreciates its intrinsic value as an ethnographic edged weapon of cultural significance (and in your case, far more than I possibly can!), b) it goes to someone with whom I can keep in touch so that person and I have the option of reuniting and/or keeping the collection together at some future date, and c) that it goes to a forumite. :)

Thank you Chris. I hope so also....and I would love to do research on it with it in my hands! :)

What he said!