Keris for comment

[Drabant1701]

This keris is a result of my itchy auction fingers. I was bidding on one of those auction houses where there are five items at the time and you have like 30 seconds to bid. I was actually bidding on something else but since I was going to pay for shipping anyway my itchy finger bought this keris. I like primitive art and like the handle that was all.

I know very little about keris since it is outside my field of intrest. What I have concluded is that it is most likley missing its ganja, the upper most part of the blade. The mendak is crudly made and some of the "stones" look like there made of some sort of resin. The handle is actually made of wood, when I looked at the auction pictures I feared it was resin but it is not. The patina on the handle looks artfical to me but at the same time it feels like it has age to it.
Also there has at some point been someting in the eyes that is now gone.

So any comments regarding age and origin would be welcome.

[Jean]

Hello,
I would attribute this rustic but old & interesting piece to Lombok from the hilt especially.
Yeah, the ganja looks like missing but I am not fully sure from the pics as the wadidang (rear part at the bottom of the blade) is quite long, and is the pejetan extending to the bottom of the blade or not?
The indistinct pamor pattern seems to be Uler Lulut or equivalent.
Regards

[Rick]

It also looks like it could possibly be an iras blade.
There is one in my collection with a very similar pamor pattern that is a close cousin of this fellow.

[Jean]

Oh yes!

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

Yeah, the ganja looks like missing but I am not fully sure from the pics as the wadidang (rear part at the bottom of the blade) is quite long, and is the pejetan extending to the bottom of the blade or not?

From what i can see Jean i think i would e willing to accept this as gonjo iras. As you note, the wadidang fairly long and if i am not mistaken i believe i see the remnants of greneng along it.

[Seerp Visser]

Welcome Drabant1701.

I hope you will enjoy this forum about the keris and will find out that the keris is NOT a piece of primitive art.
It seems that you were lucky to buy a fine piece of craftsmanship, that even in these times, is regarded as top.
The appreciation of this keris as piece of art is personal, but the keris is made by what the French call an Artisan for sure.
Congratulations with your acquisition.

[Drabant1701]

Thank you all for your replys! I am glad to hear that this might be a keris without ganja, and that it has some age to it. This is my first keris and I have spent some time the last two says studying the subject. What strikes me is how vast this subject is, which makes the expertise on this forum all the more impressive .

If I were to add one or two books on the subject to my library, what would you recommend?

Originally Posted by Seerp Visser

Welcome Drabant1701.

I hope you will enjoy this forum about the keris and will find out that the keris is NOT a piece of primitive art.
It seems that you were lucky to buy a fine piece of craftsmanship, that even in these times, is regarded as top.
The appreciation of this keris as piece of art is personal, but the keris is made by what the French call an Artisan for sure.
Congratulations with your acquisition.

Thank you Seerp Visser. I see now that I wrote in a way that could be read as me thinking that the keris is primitive art. I was not refering to the keris itself but to this specific hilt, and a better term would perhaps be folk art. This in comparance to other keris hilts that I have seen that are masterpieces of intricate carving.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Drabant1701

If I were to add one or two books on the subject to my library, what would you recommend?

Mine of course!

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Drabant1701

Thank you all for your replys! I am glad to hear that this might be a keris without ganja, and that it has some age to it. This is my first keris and I have spent some time the last two says studying the subject. What strikes me is how vast this subject is, which makes the expertise on this forum all the more impressive .

If I were to add one or two books on the subject to my library, what would you recommend?

I know I wasn't asked, but for one I'd recommend The World of The Javanese Keris by Garret and Bronwyn Solyum.
This is a soft cover book, out of print.
I have two copies...

I would also recommend a visit to Alan Maisey's very informative site.
There is lots of information there to absorb.

[Bjorn]

To me it seems like a gonjo iras as well. Lombok was also the first thing that came to mind. The blade should show a nice pamor if stained.

[Drabant1701]

Originally Posted by yuuzan

To me it seems like a gonjo iras as well. Lombok was also the first thing that came to mind. The blade should show a nice pamor if stained.

I have etched the blade. Perhaps I could have etched darker but I stopped when I thought it looked allright, no point in overdoing it. Anyways, sharing some pictures of the result.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

From what i can see Jean i think i would e willing to accept this as gonjo iras. As you note, the wadidang fairly long and if i am not mistaken i believe i see the remnants of greneng along it.

Hello David,
Yes, ganja iras is a fair possibility, the bottom face of the blade is smooth, but if it is the case I would say that the sor-soran seriously lacks harmony! (gandik too short, poorly carved pejetan, kembang kacang, greneng, and curvature of the bottom face).
Regards