Old Bali keris

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I feel that the burl atasan that is currently a part of the wrongko may not be the original mate to the gandar, but a replacement of the original.

As Hartadi has commented, this burl atasan does strike a discordant note. I have had a great many Balinese keris pass through my hands, and I have seen many more, but I have not ever seen a combination of woods that fight against each other, as these two do. To my mind this combination of materials is out of character with Balinese aesthetics. The atasan would work well with a pendok, but not with the current bare gandar. My feeling is that the original atasan had been damaged and a person with little understanding of Balinese aesthetics used the best piece of wood he could obtain to replace it --- make no mistake:- the burl atasan is a fine piece of wood, its just that it is out of place.

Add in the pelet handle and I cannot visualise this keris as an item of dress, its appearance is too unsettling.

Hello Alan,

exactly this have been the reason why I asked in my first post if I shall replace the handle. The disharmonism between atasan and gandar strikes me as well. But like you write in #14 the atasan is very well worked and without doubt made for this blade. Isn't it possible that the gandar is a later replacement? I think that this is very more likely the case, what do you think?

Regards,

Detlef