Early Keris in a Stockholm Museum

Rafngard · 1st March 2019, 04:23 AM

Hello All,

I am fortunate enough to be headed to be taking a short trip to Sweden this May. While researching what to do with my time there, I stumbled upon a descriptions of a set of old Keris in the Stockholm Museum of Ethnography, and after some digging found pictures of two of them.

I'm wondering if any of the forum members have seen these in person or if anyone has any thoughts on these.

The museum's description follows:

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History of the Object
This particular keris belonged to the Swedish Queen, Hedvig Eleonora (1636-1715). The keris is mentioned in an inventory made by the Swedish Royal Armoury in 1696, which, in translation, describes “5 small “pungiorter” (the Swedish rendering of the poignards, French for dagger) with flame or wave-shaped blades, with accompanying sheaths of wood. One of these poignards has a hilt of ebony, one has an antler hilt and three have wooden hilts. All of them were graciously donated by Her Majesty the Queen Dowager”. The father of Queen Hedvig Eleonora, Duke Fredrik III of Holstein-Gottorp was well known for his library and “Kunstkammer” (Curiosity cabinet). In 1649 the famous and well-travelled mathematician, astronomer and ethnographer at the ducal court, Adam Olearius (1603-1671), became the librarian. It is not unlikely that the five “poignards”, i.e. kerises, come from this Curiosity Cabinet. They probably reached Holstein-Gottorp from Holland, from which place the first expedition to the East Indies was sent in 1595. The shaping of the keris’ hilt indicates that the dagger probably originated in Java. The ethnographic objects of the collections found in the Royal Armoury are long since deposited to the Museum of Ethnography

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I've also attached 7 pictures (5 of one, and 2 of another) from a catalogue website

Thanks,
Leif

1st March 2019, 04:23 AM	#1
Rafngard Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Minneapolis,MN Posts: 340	Early Keris in a Stockholm Museum Hello All, I am fortunate enough to be headed to be taking a short trip to Sweden this May. While researching what to do with my time there, I stumbled upon a descriptions of a set of old Keris in the Stockholm Museum of Ethnography, and after some digging found pictures of two of them. I'm wondering if any of the forum members have seen these in person or if anyone has any thoughts on these. The museum's description follows: ------------------------ History of the Object This particular keris belonged to the Swedish Queen, Hedvig Eleonora (1636-1715). The keris is mentioned in an inventory made by the Swedish Royal Armoury in 1696, which, in translation, describes “5 small “pungiorter” (the Swedish rendering of the poignards, French for dagger) with flame or wave-shaped blades, with accompanying sheaths of wood. One of these poignards has a hilt of ebony, one has an antler hilt and three have wooden hilts. All of them were graciously donated by Her Majesty the Queen Dowager”. The father of Queen Hedvig Eleonora, Duke Fredrik III of Holstein-Gottorp was well known for his library and “Kunstkammer” (Curiosity cabinet). In 1649 the famous and well-travelled mathematician, astronomer and ethnographer at the ducal court, Adam Olearius (1603-1671), became the librarian. It is not unlikely that the five “poignards”, i.e. kerises, come from this Curiosity Cabinet. They probably reached Holstein-Gottorp from Holland, from which place the first expedition to the East Indies was sent in 1595. The shaping of the keris’ hilt indicates that the dagger probably originated in Java. The ethnographic objects of the collections found in the Royal Armoury are long since deposited to the Museum of Ethnography --------------- I've also attached 7 pictures (5 of one, and 2 of another) from a catalogue website Thanks, Leif Attached Images