Willem, over the years I have had many Bali keris holders, and most of these had quite small holes to accept the keris. I used to have the same opinion that you hold, that is, that these holders were made for foreign consumption. However during the last perhaps 5 years I have obtained six Bali keris holders that were definitely old and that were obtained in circumstances that were not conducive to the theory of manufacture for foreign consumption.
These holders also had small holes, in fact the oldest holder, age judged on known history and physical appearance, had a hole that would not have accepted any keris.
I strongly suspect that most Bali keris holders have always been made with a small hole, the final size being left to the buyer to carve out, according to his own requirements.
If this is so, it would be in line with many Balinese objects made for local consumption, where the final finishing is left to the buyer, and not done by the specialist craftsman.
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