Brass Keris
 

I have noticed the number of brass keris for sale has increased over the years that I have been looking at on line auctions.

What is the history of copper alloy keris (brass,bronze,copper etc) do they have any great history? Are they valued in Indonesia/Malaysia or are they seen as tourist items.

They are obviously cast as there is no need to forge so manufacturing is very simple. Once the mould is made several replicas can be produced with ease.

Most if not all the brass keris I see for sale are offered as amulets or "magic keris" again is there any great history of making brass keris amulets?

Never liked them myself, all the ones I have seen are crude with little effort put into the manufacturing.

Well, i could answer your question with a simple no, let's move on, but i suspect it won't be that easy. ;) :)

AFAIK, brass is not considered a good choice for a keris blade and also pure copper will be very soft unless work hardened. OTOH, there are a few genuine old keris crafted from bronze. For example, there is a really gorgeous keris buda which has been posted several times on this forum already...

Regards,
Kai

Brass is an unacceptable metal for use in a keris, however bronze is an acceptable metal, and it is entirely possible that the bronze kerises that we occasionally encounter were intended for Hindu blood sacrifice, bronze being the designated metal for the sacrificial instrument used in some rituals of sacrifice.

I can certainly agree on the bronze front. These type of keris are, of course, rather rare and not often encountered. Any of these brass ones you are encountering on eBay or elsewhere claiming to be amulets or "magic keris" are pure junk though.

More than 20 years ago I saw an apparently old Javanese blade supposedly made from suasa (copper/ silver/ gold alloy) in a reputed antique shop in Jakarta. I did not buy it because I was not convinced that it was a genuine piece but somewhat regret it....

Some time ago I seen a Badik with a suasa blade. What really would be the use of such a blade other then as some type of amulet. I did like the colour of the blade though pinkish and no tarnishing as would be the case with brass, bronze or copper blades.