Keris Terengganu (?) found in the crap

[Sajen]

Hello,

have recently bought by an online auction by very poor pictures this Malay keris, I think it's a Terengganu keris (maybe Kelantan?), nothing special but nice enough to give it care which it seemed to has missed for a long time. It was listed with some other blades, two tourist knifes and a recent machete from Brazil.
Hilt is of the anak ayam teleng style made from kemuning wood. Sampir from ketengga and gandar from angsana wood. Blade is very worn and show pandai saras shape with 7 luk. The sarung get refurbished some time ago and is maybe older as it look while the pendokok from brass seems to be very recent. The last picture show one of the auction pictures. Any comments?

[Sajen]

100 hits and no comment? Is it so bad?

[kai]

Originally Posted by Sajen

100 hits and no comment? Is it so bad?

Yup!

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

Thanks for the rescue mission!

Hilt is of the anak ayam teleng style made from kemuning wood. Sampir from ketengga and gandar from angsana wood. Blade is very worn and show pandai saras shape with 7 luk. The sarung get refurbished some time ago and is maybe older as it look while the pendokok from brass seems to be very recent.

That seems to be a genuine, antique pandai saras blade and examples with luk are rare, indeed. I hope the pitting is not too bad to allow for long-term preservation? How well does the blade fit?

I'm not really confident to identify the wood from these pics - just some passing comments:
Gandar: Very strong tiger stripes for a northern Malay scabbard!
Sampir: Looks like kemuning to me.
Hulu: I would not rule out other timbers - looks like more recent work to me, too.

I'd be inclined to believe this is from Kelantan/Pattani with the Terengganu hilt added later (and antique scabbard renovated at the same time, probably).

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

That seems to be a genuine, antique pandai saras blade and examples with luk are rare, indeed. I hope the pitting is not too bad to allow for long-term preservation?

Hello Kai,

thank you for comment! The blade has had only a light rust film when I received it, it was easily to remove by steel wool and when it get frequently oiled it will be preserved for future.

Originally Posted by kai

How well does the blade fit?

Good but not perfect, see picture.

Originally Posted by kai

Hulu: I would not rule out other timbers - looks like more recent work to me, too.

Like said, at the first glance it look recent to my eyes as well but I am inclined to believe that the hilt get refurbished some time ago.

Originally Posted by kai

I'd be inclined to believe this is from Kelantan/Pattani with the Terengganu hilt added later (and antique scabbard renovated at the same time, probably).

Very good possible, the "?" wasn't set for nothing!

Best regards,
Detlef

[rasdan]

Originally Posted by kai

I'd be inclined to believe this is from Kelantan/Pattani with the Terengganu hilt added later

Yes, I believe this is correct. And yep, Pandai Saras variant. I have nothing much to add not because this is not a nice keris or anything, but I have very little knowledge about it. The thing about keris (not this one) from the region is that, as far as I'm concerned, there is no real guideline in defining what is this or that.

Yes, some are clear cut keris Pandai Saras or Tok Chu for example but there are other forms that will generate endless arguments if this is keris A or B or AB. Then there is a question doesn't the maker - Tok Chu for instance- make other types of keris. So, the answer will pretty much depends on where somebody goes to school as Alan frequently stressed.

[Sajen]

Thank you Rasdan!

[rasdan]

Most welcome Detlef..