Moro Kris Silver Dots and Inlay
 

Greetings folks!

Here is a Moro kris from Christies that went for over $9000!

Ivory with silver dots in the junggayan pommel and hllt, along with silver inlay along the blade:

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/a...4-details.aspx

Well, nice kris, no doubt, but more than $9600! And it doesn't even have a sheath (not that it would make that much difference). Some people have waaaay too much money to throw around. :shrug:

This auction description begs the question: is "bone" the new designation for Ivory ?

Well, it is when you are trying to slip past CITES regulations, but then they do make a point about such materials on the page so they were obviously aware that it is ivory. :shrug:

Beautiful sword, too bad there are not better photos of it.

Robert

Are these hard to find?

Yes, especially with a complete pommel like that. To a lot of moro sword collectors, this would be the ultimate piece...
But for $9600.00, that's crazy :eek:

A beauty she is, but I'm also surprised by the price it fetched.

Those silver dot inserts have got to make an already fragile ivory pommel even more so, and if you have a close look at the 'beak', it looks like there may already be a break...or working on it.

I wonder sometimes if we are seeing an investing shift to 'tangibles' and a corresponding price increase . :shrug:

It is a nice piece with all the bells and whistles .

Would this ship without Customs inspection within the E.U. ?
Anyone ?

I have to wait until i get home to see the enlarged version of this, but from what i can see from my mobile phone, it appears that the bottom beak of the chicken, as well as that one curly feather at the bottom of the tail are missing. Either these broke off, or it's a different version altogether. :shrug:

I agree with Charles on the fragility of the ivory with all those silver dot wire inlays. Would more easily crack between dots due to subtle swelling and contracting as the ivory "breathes".

I am trying to figure out how to get pictures off the link to post - no luck so far.

Wish I had this one - but I don't have anywhere near the money. :(

Ok here are some better(?) close ups:

BTW - I'm thinking that a curl nor a tail decoration existed.

yup, you're right. i'm looking at it as we speak on my desktop. i wish they would've given the size of the pommel. i don't think it's the same size as the one you got from the show last year. what do you think?

It wouldn't slip past me that's for sure. :D And I seriously doubt that a lot of other CITES M.A.s' wouldn't spot it either, but I guess it depends on the country and how well they're staffed. Here in DK, a long heavy package would already be marked by the customs officials, due to our draconian weapons legislation, and as such warrant closer inspection.

I think in this case, it's just a mess-up on Christies' account. After all, the headline do clearly say 'ivory' and they have that paragraph on CITES.

Often I fear more for my fellow collectors ordering from smaller dealers and Ebay-sellers. 'Bone', 'Fish tooth', 'Exotic horn' 'I*o*y', etc., may fool the rabid animal-right hippies trawling the net for eeeeevil traders in poor animals, but it will not fool a CITES-inspection at the border.

Without that CITES-export permit in the package (and in the case of Appendix I/Annex A material, a corresponding import-permit) it's bye-bye awesome sword or keris, and it's then gone for good. It's especially stupid and sad, since these things that we love mostly predate 1947 and as such are perfectly legal to trade in. There is no excuse for not getting that permit, but sheer lazyness or simply being too stingy with ones buyer.

Geeting back OT, hooooly crap that is an awesome sword!! One day when I'm rich, I'll be getting me one of those ivory jungayans for myself! :)


All the best, - Thor

What does it cost to get such a permit. Not really an excuse if you have the money to lay out almost $10,000 for such a sword, but probably the reason the average buyer doesn't do it. And the buyer is sometimes half way around the world. Doesn't the seller need to be the one to pursue such a permit since the sword is in their hands? Most sellers aren't interested in pursuing such a thing. So i think it is really the sellers who are lazy.
I know for sure that quite a bit of ivory comes into the USA right past customs through all kinds of delivery systems. Don't know how or even if they really check packages that come into this country for ivory parts. They may be more thorough in other countries. :shrug:

:cool:

Well Ron:

1. I try not to think. :eek:

2. Yes mine is bigger. :D

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...junggayan+kris

Hello Charles,

I agree. From the pics, it even looks like the beak could be a replacement since the "crack" is running along the 2 visible surfaces...

Regards,
Kai

Yes, the CITES-export permit must be issued by the authority in the country from which the item is exported and my point was also that application for one is the responsibility of any decent seller. Depending on the material and the country of import however, a corresponding CITES-import permit might also be needed, so as a buyer it definitely pays to check up with your local authority. Having to confiscate awesome antiques is just so damn meaningless, but I guess it's also because I can personally really relate to the disappointment of the importer/collector.

I know the cost of a permit is £45,- in the UK, while here in the socialist regime that I call home, its free. But then again, we also have the world's highest most crushing personal tax pressure, so I really don't have my arms up in celebration over that fact. I don't know about prices in the US, although I'd be curious to find out.


Take care, - Thor

I just have done some google research. In Germany it is like this: first you need a expertise from a expert. With this you have to go to a special board where you get the cites paper. This is possible with ivory which is from before 1947 but as well for ivory with a age between 1947 and 1976. The cost for expertise and cites paper will be between 80,- and 100,- Euro.

Ah cool, thanks Detlef. At the CITES Authority here in DK we have the capacity to do the evaluation for the citizens in house, i.e. by the sharp eye of Yours Truly! ;)


Have a great day, - Thor

Battara....I have been a BAD influence on you! :rolleyes:

Why Charles, whatever do you mean? :D

I do admit it is odd that the nose break is straight across.....still not sure if it is not the original though.

the pommel on that kris is the streamlined version. compare that to the attached picture below. notice it's missing the details on the chicken's head, and also the feather ukkil that runs down the tail. here they are, side by side for comparison...

Whom ever bought it must see a whole lot more than I do.

I like it a lot, but not enough to sell my house for it (ok maybe I live in a shack :o ).


Perhaps it was a bidding war and the fact it was CHRISTIES that drove the price up so high. :shrug:

That is about the only thing that makes sense. While it's a nice sword I do not see anything exceptional about it.

I understand. However I do like the silver dots and inlay (a sucker for precious metals as you know :rolleyes: ).

Am I the only one who think the proportions of both the hilt (compared to the blade) and it's two protrusions (compared to the center of the hilt) are a bit unbalanced?
Spunjer's kris has much better proportions IMHO.
When I first saw it at Christie's site my hunch was that the complete hilt was a much later addition to an old blade?

Michael