Keris Pair Heirloom Pieces

kai · 9th September 2011, 08:14 AM

Welcome to the forum!

The straight keris has a classic pandai seras blade from the northern Malay areas. It does seem to be antique and of well above-average quality. I just hope that the corrosion close to the tip is not too deep. The fittings do look "newish" to me - post WW2 IMHO.

The keris with 9 luk has a typical Malay blade: antique and I've seen several examples with missing gonjo that seemed to have been kept in use over a longer period. Maybe our Malay forum members can comment on the need of replacing it from a traditional point of view?

IMHO the fittings clearly point to a Terengganu origin for the whole ensemble; classic Terengganu sampir and pipit teleng hilt. The missing buntut is a relatively easy fix but make sure you get an idea of antique scabbards from that area before starting the carving work.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11592

Some close-ups from the pendokok (inside view, too) and the hilts would be good for additional information. The Terengganu pendokok could be silver but also other materials like white brass or tin were in use in that area; the other one should be brass.

One note of caution: While pineapple juice is pretty gentle, do avoid unnecessary long exposure and invest in a lot of elbow grease and picking off stubborn rust specks with wooden picks and, if needed, needles. Most Malay keris blades are traditionally kept in polished (or almost polished) condition and the metal surface should be kept smooth while overdoing the cleaning and staining process can result in a rough blade surface.

Regards,
Kai

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9th September 2011, 08:14 AM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Welcome to the forum! The straight keris has a classic pandai seras blade from the northern Malay areas. It does seem to be antique and of well above-average quality. I just hope that the corrosion close to the tip is not too deep. The fittings do look "newish" to me - post WW2 IMHO. The keris with 9 luk has a typical Malay blade: antique and I've seen several examples with missing gonjo that seemed to have been kept in use over a longer period. Maybe our Malay forum members can comment on the need of replacing it from a traditional point of view? IMHO the fittings clearly point to a Terengganu origin for the whole ensemble; classic Terengganu sampir and pipit teleng hilt. The missing buntut is a relatively easy fix but make sure you get an idea of antique scabbards from that area before starting the carving work. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11592 Some close-ups from the pendokok (inside view, too) and the hilts would be good for additional information. The Terengganu pendokok could be silver but also other materials like white brass or tin were in use in that area; the other one should be brass. One note of caution: While pineapple juice is pretty gentle, do avoid unnecessary long exposure and invest in a lot of elbow grease and picking off stubborn rust specks with wooden picks and, if needed, needles. Most Malay keris blades are traditionally kept in polished (or almost polished) condition and the metal surface should be kept smooth while overdoing the cleaning and staining process can result in a rough blade surface. Regards, Kai