large Keris

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Regarding use of this style of dress by Balinese people.

This is a non-traditional style of wrongko that does not fit any purpose in Balinese society --- except to sell to foreigners. There is a Balinese style, that is usually associated with a Balinese settlement in Madura, that echoes this scabbard style, it has a metal mask of Boma on its face.

With the early ones that were made, and through to the 1970's, maybe even early 1980's, old blades very often had this style of dress made for them, simply so they could be sold in the souvenir shops. It was not a re-fit job, not a matter of making the scabbard and then fitting a blade, it was a process of:- acquire blade, make dress, sell to tourist.

The uwer on this keris will be found to have plastic "jewels". It looks OK, but the "jewels" will be little bits of plastic.

Thank you Alan for clarification! This is what I have thought. And it is also a explanation that the better ( and I think also early ) ones of this scabbards house sometimes relative good blades while the roughly carved ones ( and therefore later ones ) house most of the time the KLO blades with batik pamor. At least is this what I have seen since I have had interest too keris.