Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - A keraton (?) keris in east javanese dress, where is the blade from?

David · 24th November 2024, 07:08 PM

It's a lovely blade, but i see nothing that would necessarily identify this keris as a keraton blade.
I believe this hilt is Cirebon, or at least North Jawa, not East Jawa. I can't tell much about the wrongko from the photos beyond the damage.
My thoughts on this blade is that it is contemporary work. I don't think it was made in Bali, but the smith may have had Balinese blades in mind. Though when we look at old Javanese blades from the Banten era we see a similar ricikan and pawakan that is clearly not Balinese. Of course this keris is not Banten, but that may have been the look the smith was going for.

24th November 2024, 07:08 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,199	It's a lovely blade, but i see nothing that would necessarily identify this keris as a keraton blade. I believe this hilt is Cirebon, or at least North Jawa, not East Jawa. I can't tell much about the wrongko from the photos beyond the damage. My thoughts on this blade is that it is contemporary work. I don't think it was made in Bali, but the smith may have had Balinese blades in mind. Though when we look at old Javanese blades from the Banten era we see a similar ricikan and pawakan that is clearly not Balinese. Of course this keris is not Banten, but that may have been the look the smith was going for.