[David]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I cannot see anything at all that is unusual in the blade form. Bear in mind that there were a number of kingdoms, and blades and dress form varied from place to place. Pre-colonial Bali was not just one big homogeneous mass, it was divided into a number of various locations.We get minor variations in Balinese blades, some just look like super size Central Jawa blades. Some look like super size Segaluh blades. There is a lot of variation. This blade --- to my eye --- falls into the "average Bali blade" box. Typical surface finish, nothing unusual in the ricikan, older form of ron dha, not particularly well executed sogokan, but OK, slow waves, limited kruwingan resulting in rotan-like cross section, no gusen.

Surely Alan you must know that i am aware that Bali was not a homogenous mass and that there are many subtle variations in blade form from the various kingdoms within it. I have, after all, read Wiener, Eiseman and Hanna numerous times and have at least a cursory understanding of the structure of Bali in both pre-colonial and colonial times. :-)
Perhaps what i am seeing as different in this dhapur is not so much a matter of age as location, though that seems to be an equally unresearched topic in regards to Balinese keris.

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

The gold is unusual. If it doesn't cover a defect --- which is the usual reason that little irregular spots of gold are put on a blade, I don't know why its there. Non formal gold dots & etc can be added to a blade for esoteric reasons, but you normally see these on top of the gonjo.

Can't say much more on this except that i am almost certain it is gold (i haven't had it tested) and it does not seem to cover a defect.

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

There are many unanswered questions with keris, and this applies most especially to Balinese keris, and again most especially to the questions that arise in the minds of some of us, which are often not even considered by the people to whose culture these objects belong.

Yes, far too many unanswered questions indeed. And yes, we collectors have our own set of special ones, don't we?

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

You mention that you can see something different or special in the gandhik area of this keris. I've looked and looked, and I cannot see anything that strikes me as unusual. Could you be a bit more explicit in what it is that you can see in the gandhik area? Maybe you can see something that I cannot.

The best way that i can describe it is that the area in my keris seems to belly out as if it were pregnant. This is not the case as far as i can tell in most 19th-20thC Bali keris. It is a feature that i tend to associate with older Javanese dhapurs (which is probably why i thought it might be an indicator of age). I have borrowed a few example of Bali keris from the "Sold" gallery at Oriental Arms to compare.

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Incidentally, is the hilt ebony, or kayu arang? Heavy, dense hardwood?

I couldn't say for sure. The wood is fairly dense and a little heavy. It is darker on the outside. Were it is chipped it is a dark brown. So the surface may have been stained. It's kind of like dark chocolate on the outside and milk chocolate on the inside.