Any U.K. Members ... A Quest !
 

Have you ever heard of the alleged English made keris in Cutler's Hall Sheffield ?

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=cutlers+hall

Would any of you fellows care to take a photo and post it if you're in the area ?

Rick, going back about 30 years or so, an English friend of mine told me he had seen British made keris blades that were exported to Malaya.

About 15 years ago a highly respected European keris authority told me that the English had made keris blades for export to Malaya.

Going back about 8 years a highly respected American authority on the keris told me that keris blades had been exported to SE Asia by the British.

All hearsay, but one must ask if they were all wrong.

Personally I think its a good bet that the cutlers of Sheffield --- or maybe Birmingham--- identified a commercial opportunity.

I have to admit Alan, my curiousity has been piqued after Spiral made that remark .

I'd love to see this artifact of rumor and hearsay .

So who's for Cutler's Hall, eh ?!? :D

Hi Rick,Alan, I've just had a look at Cutler's Hall website-it's now a conference and convention centre! I would imagine that the English keris possibly resides in the Royal Armouries in Leeds now. I would certainly believe that it exists-the English produced all kinds of edged weapons for many cultures, so a Sheffield or Birmingham keris wouldn't surprise me.

Its still around, but I'm uncertain where. I asked a good friend of mine yesterday if she had seen it on her recent visit to Sheffield, and she had. I know that she and her husband visited the Cutler's Hall, and even got into the "inner sanctum", so its probably there.

I think I have an answer on the question of keris made in Sheffield.

I made approaches to a couple of people for photographs, and these approaches were unsuccessful, although I did get some promises.

Then I contacted the archivist for The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, Dr. Joan Unwin.

Dr. Unwin returned several photos to me within a very short space of time.

These English keris, are not keris. They are European style daggers with flamboyant blades. I presume that the manufacturers of these daggers called them "keris" in much the same way that present day manufacturers call some models of pocket knives yataghans, & etc.

Three "keris" have been archived, two by Joseph Beal, one by Joseph Rogers.

I do not have Dr. Unwin's permission to publish these photos, and I feel disinclined to ask for this, however, anybody who would like to see these photos may contact me and request copies.

After seeing these daggers I cannot imagine what my previous informants were talking about.