Indonesian Sundang or Philippine Kris?

RobT · 25th June 2006, 10:25 PM

Hi All,
I am hoping that the keris/kris experts can help me to resolve my questions about this piece. The straight blade is short (only 21" [53.34cm]) but the hilt at 4.75" [12cm] is full size. The flat of the blade has a distal taper of about 3/8". The shaft of the blade appears to have been made by bending a high carbon steel rod into a V shape (for the tip and the edges) around a tapered core of lower carbon steel. What I find strange is the design of the ganja which is far more distinctly separate from the blade proper than I have ever seen on a Philippine kris. The grenning and the elephant's trunk are also more simply done than I have ever seen on a Philippine kris. Could the small size of the blade along with the unusual ganja indicate that this is a sundang from Indonesia rather than a Philippine kris? I should mention that the baca baca (or asing asing [I don't know which term is correct.]) are not original to the piece.
Sincerely,
RobT

25th June 2006, 10:25 PM	#1
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 523	Indonesian Sundang or Philippine Kris? Hi All, I am hoping that the keris/kris experts can help me to resolve my questions about this piece. The straight blade is short (only 21" [53.34cm]) but the hilt at 4.75" [12cm] is full size. The flat of the blade has a distal taper of about 3/8". The shaft of the blade appears to have been made by bending a high carbon steel rod into a V shape (for the tip and the edges) around a tapered core of lower carbon steel. What I find strange is the design of the ganja which is far more distinctly separate from the blade proper than I have ever seen on a Philippine kris. The grenning and the elephant's trunk are also more simply done than I have ever seen on a Philippine kris. Could the small size of the blade along with the unusual ganja indicate that this is a sundang from Indonesia rather than a Philippine kris? I should mention that the baca baca (or asing asing [I don't know which term is correct.]) are not original to the piece. Sincerely, RobT Attached Images