Identifying a Keris

shadejoy · 30th January 2022, 06:59 PM

Hello,

Would love your expertise in identifying this Keris..

Is this Balinese or Lombok ..or perhaps from somewhere else?
Any estimation on how old this Keris is? I can never tell if a Keris is a genuine sepuh or artificially aged.
Could you recognize the pamor?
The ganja on the greneng side seems to be separated. Is this normal or an indication of mismatched between ganja dan wilah?

Thanks in advance!

milandro · 30th January 2022, 08:00 PM

No doubt some of the more expert forum dwellers will have a different take, but to me seems to be a Balinese kris.

I have been told by many that even very well known expert experts find them difficult to tell apart and that one expert may say one thing while another may say the opposite.

The quality appears to me to go under the better kerisses and perhaps I could venture into saying that this could be a Kulit Semangka pamor.

Several people whom “ wash” krisses with warangan ( I have met 3 until now very well known in the Dutch kris community) told me that having a loose ganja is not unusual and that, in fact, it may indicate that the kris has been washes a number of times therefore, old but that too, as everything else may be faked (although I doubt that it is in this case)

This can be restored.

Sajen · 30th January 2022, 09:31 PM

Would agree, an old Bali or Lombok blade.

A. G. Maisey · 31st January 2022, 12:16 AM

It is a Bali style blade, but whether from main island Bali, or from Lombok island colony, it is virtually impossible to know with any certainty.
This doubt persists even when a blade is in the hand. There are some indicators that might make one lean towards either Bali or Lombok, but we cannot ever be certain. With this keris I lean to Lombok, but I would never debate it.

No real opinion on age, but 19th century would be a safe guess.

Pamor is wos wutah (& all related variations of the same words)

The imperfect gonjo fit could have been there since the blade was made, or it might have been knocked out of its original position, the blade does not look old enough for erosion to have caused the gap.

jagabuwana · 31st January 2022, 12:19 AM

Is this a pin? Or am I seeing things?

Interested Party · 31st January 2022, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

Is this a pin? Or am I seeing things?

Looks closer to silver solder in that picture. The other pictures don't show the shiny spot.

A. G. Maisey · 31st January 2022, 08:19 PM

Reflected light?

30th January 2022, 06:59 PM	#1
shadejoy Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Massachusetts, US Posts: 67	Identifying a Keris Hello, Would love your expertise in identifying this Keris.. Is this Balinese or Lombok ..or perhaps from somewhere else? Any estimation on how old this Keris is? I can never tell if a Keris is a genuine sepuh or artificially aged. Could you recognize the pamor? The ganja on the greneng side seems to be separated. Is this normal or an indication of mismatched between ganja dan wilah? Thanks in advance! Attached Images

31st January 2022, 12:19 AM	#5
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 281	Is this a pin? Or am I seeing things? Attached Images

30th January 2022, 08:00 PM	#2
milandro Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Netherlands Posts: 475	No doubt some of the more expert forum dwellers will have a different take, but to me seems to be a Balinese kris. I have been told by many that even very well known expert experts find them difficult to tell apart and that one expert may say one thing while another may say the opposite. The quality appears to me to go under the better kerisses and perhaps I could venture into saying that this could be a Kulit Semangka pamor. Several people whom “ wash” krisses with warangan ( I have met 3 until now very well known in the Dutch kris community) told me that having a loose ganja is not unusual and that, in fact, it may indicate that the kris has been washes a number of times therefore, old but that too, as everything else may be faked (although I doubt that it is in this case) This can be restored.

30th January 2022, 09:31 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,779	Would agree, an old Bali or Lombok blade.

31st January 2022, 12:16 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	It is a Bali style blade, but whether from main island Bali, or from Lombok island colony, it is virtually impossible to know with any certainty. This doubt persists even when a blade is in the hand. There are some indicators that might make one lean towards either Bali or Lombok, but we cannot ever be certain. With this keris I lean to Lombok, but I would never debate it. No real opinion on age, but 19th century would be a safe guess. Pamor is wos wutah (& all related variations of the same words) The imperfect gonjo fit could have been there since the blade was made, or it might have been knocked out of its original position, the blade does not look old enough for erosion to have caused the gap.

31st January 2022, 08:19 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Reflected light?