Is it a good keris ?

Marius66 · 14th December 2023, 10:29 PM

Good morning dear members,
I wanted to ask your opinion please on this keris,
It seems not too old.
I'm not a specialist but
I have already seen this model several times, souvenir keris '' for tourists'' and often of really poor quality but this one caught my attention : large model: 65cm long/25,6 inches .
the blade is heavycand seems of good quality and the handle is very finely detailed.
what do you think please ?

Kind regards

A. G. Maisey · 15th December 2023, 09:15 AM

Good blade, dress for tourists.

Re-dressed it would be a very nice thing, but re-dress might not be so easy.

Marius66 · 15th December 2023, 01:37 PM

Thank you for your message !

Even the hilt is a bad one ? I find it is carved really carefully in comparison with other
'' similar'' tourists models

Can the blade be an old one ? I will post other pictures.

Kind regards

Anthony G. · 22nd December 2023, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marius66

Thank you for your message !

Even the hilt is a bad one ? I find it is carved really carefully in comparison with other
'' similar'' tourists models

Can the blade be an old one ? I will post other pictures.

Kind regards

good old blade, i would said.

Marius66 · 15th December 2023, 05:07 PM

This one for comparison is a cheap basic made for tourists hilt model

Marius66 · 15th December 2023, 07:13 PM

Allo ??

A. G. Maisey · 15th December 2023, 08:57 PM

Gotta sleep sometime Marius, Saturday, 6.37am here, what time where you are?

The blade is old, pre-1900, how much older than that i cannot say from a photo, & maybe cannot say at all, but it was definitely made as a keris, by a pande, & for a Balinese man.

The dress is early for this type of keris, post 1960, pre 1980. I'm guessing here, I know the story of the origination of this dress style, but it is difficult to put a precise commencement date on it. Certainly the style came about because of the tourist flood, and that did not really begin until late 1950's. There were tourists into Bali from not long after the puputans, I think around 1920 would be a good start date, by the 1930's it was certainly on the international bucket list, then there was WWII, the Merdeka struggle, things were still pretty fragile into the 1960's --- tourists generally like to stay away from places where thousands of people are being put to death in very bloody ways.

The consolidated opinion of most informed people seems to be that the last "good year" in South Bali was 1982. After that Bali began to become the Disneyland for adults --- which it now is.

So, dress, 1960 - 1980.

The quality of the carving is pedestrian, not done by an 8 year old child, it was done by an experienced carver, but he was in a hurry.

This type of keris has now become a valid collectable in its own right, and this one is a pretty fair example of the style. What it is not is a fully traditional style that could be worn by a Balinese man.

Marius66 · 15th December 2023, 10:18 PM

Thank you very much for your response
and I am really sorry for rushing you,
I thought there were many moderators for manage the site access.
it's just frustrating to wait several hours.
I live now in Germany.
Thank you very much for all the precious informations !!!
Best regards

Rick · 16th December 2023, 05:49 AM

Patience is a virtue, Marius.

Both of your moderators in the Warung live on the East Coast of America.

David · 16th December 2023, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marius66

Thank you very much for your response
and I am really sorry for rushing you,
I thought there were many moderators for manage the site access.
it's just frustrating to wait several hours.
I live now in Germany.
Thank you very much for all the precious informations !!!
Best regards

Marius, there are just 2 moderators for the Keris Forum, Rick and myself.
As Rick has pointed out, we both live in eastern North American, so our time zones are 5 to 6 hours apart. Besides that we are just two people who have full lives to lead outside the completely volunteer position of forum moderator. So i am afraid if you can't be patient your frustrations will only worsen. Still i know that both Rick and i check the moderation queue at least once a day and often more than that. My suggestion is to stay calm, keep posting, be patient and try not to annoy the moderators

and in short order you will probably be graduated beyond your current moderated status and will be able to post directly.

14th December 2023, 10:29 PM	#1
Marius66 Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 103	Is it a good keris ? Good morning dear members, I wanted to ask your opinion please on this keris, It seems not too old. I'm not a specialist but I have already seen this model several times, souvenir keris '' for tourists'' and often of really poor quality but this one caught my attention : large model: 65cm long/25,6 inches . the blade is heavycand seems of good quality and the handle is very finely detailed. what do you think please ? Kind regards Attached Images

15th December 2023, 05:07 PM	#5
Marius66 Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 103	This one for comparison is a cheap basic made for tourists hilt model Attached Images

15th December 2023, 09:15 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Good blade, dress for tourists. Re-dressed it would be a very nice thing, but re-dress might not be so easy.

15th December 2023, 01:37 PM	#3
Marius66 Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 103	Thank you for your message ! Even the hilt is a bad one ? I find it is carved really carefully in comparison with other '' similar'' tourists models Can the blade be an old one ? I will post other pictures. Kind regards

15th December 2023, 07:13 PM	#6
Marius66 Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 103	Allo ??

15th December 2023, 08:57 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Gotta sleep sometime Marius, Saturday, 6.37am here, what time where you are? The blade is old, pre-1900, how much older than that i cannot say from a photo, & maybe cannot say at all, but it was definitely made as a keris, by a pande, & for a Balinese man. The dress is early for this type of keris, post 1960, pre 1980. I'm guessing here, I know the story of the origination of this dress style, but it is difficult to put a precise commencement date on it. Certainly the style came about because of the tourist flood, and that did not really begin until late 1950's. There were tourists into Bali from not long after the puputans, I think around 1920 would be a good start date, by the 1930's it was certainly on the international bucket list, then there was WWII, the Merdeka struggle, things were still pretty fragile into the 1960's --- tourists generally like to stay away from places where thousands of people are being put to death in very bloody ways. The consolidated opinion of most informed people seems to be that the last "good year" in South Bali was 1982. After that Bali began to become the Disneyland for adults --- which it now is. So, dress, 1960 - 1980. The quality of the carving is pedestrian, not done by an 8 year old child, it was done by an experienced carver, but he was in a hurry. This type of keris has now become a valid collectable in its own right, and this one is a pretty fair example of the style. What it is not is a fully traditional style that could be worn by a Balinese man.

15th December 2023, 10:18 PM	#8
Marius66 Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 103	Thank you very much for your response and I am really sorry for rushing you, I thought there were many moderators for manage the site access. it's just frustrating to wait several hours. I live now in Germany. Thank you very much for all the precious informations !!! Best regards

16th December 2023, 05:49 AM	#9
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Patience is a virtue, Marius. Both of your moderators in the Warung live on the East Coast of America.