Ray, thanks for sharing this interesting update about Moro kris. It is interesting to note how often the modular parts of the sword can be of mixed age and mixed heritage. While this has been appreciated for some time, it's good to see you lay it out with clear examples.
Just a few thoughts and comments.
I notice that all your examples are listed as being from the late 1800s/early 1900s. Do you plan to prepare further information about older Moro kris?
The Malayan influences present a challenge, I think, with respect to the style of kris blades (and hilts to some degree). There are clear Malayan elements in some kris blades that are labeled as Moro in origin. You mention in your article about the intermingling of Moro and Malayan blade smiths, and I wonder if you can elaborate further. Also, which of the references that you list online relates to this intermingling? Was this recorded at the time it occurred, or was it based on individuals' recall of events more than a century ago?
I have read and heard almost nothing about kris from the Sultanate of Brunei. As you know, the Brunei Sultanate predated the Sulu Sultanate and later sultanates on Mindanao. Where do Brunei kris fit into the picture? Are you lumping them with "Borneo kris?" Are "Borneo kris" an extension of "Malayan kris?"
Do you think that the early prototypes of Moro kris were based on Malayan keris, Indonesian keris, Bugis keris, or even Bali keris? To varying degrees, a case can be made for each of these possible sources. Do your informants have any information to share on this?
Lastly, and off topic somewhat, the issue of round tangs attributed to very early Moro kris. In the limited available archeological evidence of Filipino sword/knife tangs predating the 14th C, I have not found any record of round tangs being used. Given the likely methods for using knives and swords at that time, round tangs would likely have not worked very well. Thus, a round tang emulating the keris would have seemed unusual on Moro kris. What I have seen is (almost) round tangs on some Malayan sundang, which might be expected given that much of the Malayan world has a strong keris culture. I think we need to be wary of attributing round tangs to "early" Moro kris, and vice versa in requiring "early" Moro kris to have round tangs.
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