Need suggestions for keris certification format

Neo · 22nd May 2011, 03:49 PM

I am inviting all open and objective minds to contribute in designing a format for keris certification. What sort of information, and in what order would you like the certification to contain?

One of the goals is to preserve the historical aspect of certain kerises before it is too late. Let's say you acquired a fine keris from a respectable collector in Indonesia. The keris has the title "Kanjeng Kyahi X". Having done your due dilligence, you verified from independent sources that the kerises indeed came from Prince Y of Keraton Z sometime in the 1970s who gave them to the previous collector before you. Now, having this piece of Java's history in your custody, how would you prove to the future generation that this keris is indeed the "Kanjeng Kyahi X" that was once the possession of Prince Y of Keraton Z? Unless some proper documentation is done, a national heritage is bound to be gone by the wind as the time goes by ... it may end up being in sale at Rawabening 50 something years later and nobody would have known the rich history of the beautiful piece ...

Another goal is to provide responsible documentation for authentic pieces to be done by ethical professionals. The ideal goal is to establish something equivalent to Hon'ami family's samurai swords certification in Japan. Good, responsible appraisal of authentic pieces. This initiative is guaranteed to reap bitter response from certain parties, but something has to be done anyway, right now, in order to preserve what we can still save of the keris heritage ... Over time, hopefully, the organization doing the certification will continously improve itself and find better ways to do its preservation mission while dealing properly with external pressures. What sort of information would you like to see in the certificate for the second group of kerises? Obviously tangguh would be a subjective and prone-to-be-inaccurate assessment, so other than tangguh, what other information would you like to see in order to reflect the quality of the keris?

I am actually trying to do a homework given by a senior member of Indonesia's keris society. He is asking me to come up with examples of format for keris certification so I suggested him that I post something here and hope that the sincere, knowledgeable folks here would contribute useful things.

We also discussed about possible identification devices to be attached to the keris in order to match it with the certificate. One idea would be to laser-engrave some number on the pesi, but I for one would object to this severely as it is tampering with a historical piece. Feel free to discuss alternatives that you feel is more suitable for this purpose.

Let the fun begin ...

22nd May 2011, 03:49 PM	#1
Neo Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 59	Need suggestions for keris certification format I am inviting all open and objective minds to contribute in designing a format for keris certification. What sort of information, and in what order would you like the certification to contain? One of the goals is to preserve the historical aspect of certain kerises before it is too late. Let's say you acquired a fine keris from a respectable collector in Indonesia. The keris has the title "Kanjeng Kyahi X". Having done your due dilligence, you verified from independent sources that the kerises indeed came from Prince Y of Keraton Z sometime in the 1970s who gave them to the previous collector before you. Now, having this piece of Java's history in your custody, how would you prove to the future generation that this keris is indeed the "Kanjeng Kyahi X" that was once the possession of Prince Y of Keraton Z? Unless some proper documentation is done, a national heritage is bound to be gone by the wind as the time goes by ... it may end up being in sale at Rawabening 50 something years later and nobody would have known the rich history of the beautiful piece ... Another goal is to provide responsible documentation for authentic pieces to be done by ethical professionals. The ideal goal is to establish something equivalent to Hon'ami family's samurai swords certification in Japan. Good, responsible appraisal of authentic pieces. This initiative is guaranteed to reap bitter response from certain parties, but something has to be done anyway, right now, in order to preserve what we can still save of the keris heritage ... Over time, hopefully, the organization doing the certification will continously improve itself and find better ways to do its preservation mission while dealing properly with external pressures. What sort of information would you like to see in the certificate for the second group of kerises? Obviously tangguh would be a subjective and prone-to-be-inaccurate assessment, so other than tangguh, what other information would you like to see in order to reflect the quality of the keris? I am actually trying to do a homework given by a senior member of Indonesia's keris society. He is asking me to come up with examples of format for keris certification so I suggested him that I post something here and hope that the sincere, knowledgeable folks here would contribute useful things. We also discussed about possible identification devices to be attached to the keris in order to match it with the certificate. One idea would be to laser-engrave some number on the pesi, but I for one would object to this severely as it is tampering with a historical piece. Feel free to discuss alternatives that you feel is more suitable for this purpose. Let the fun begin ...