Hello Pak Ganja,
Quote:
|
The fixing material, seems to be traditional -- blackish, and rusty laquer. I don't know precisely what it is. Maybe like traditional javanese 'lacquer' (I don't know to describe it too), but more rusty... (picture below)
|
Probably damar (or more precisely a traditional mix based on damar resin) which is quite commonly found on Sumatran/Malay keris. Could also be shellac but I'd consider this a non-traditional material for attaching a hilt.
Quote:
|
The "hard" ivory -- not elephant tusk -- also make the hilt difficult to remove, because of the narrow hole, and the rusty lacquer material.
|
Yes, looks like a pressure fit enhanced with a thin layer of resin. This can be very tight, especially when rust has developed.
Quote:
|
The pesi is shorter than javanese pesi, but still in good condition.
|
Yes, the pesi looks perfectly fine for a keris Palembang. From the corrosion, the tip doesn't look recently shortened, doesn't it?
I'm less certain about the ganja though: Not only does the metalwork look much more crisp than the blade but also the hole for the pesi seems to have much less corrosion than the pesi...
Regards,
Kai