molar mammoth

[A. G. Maisey]

Mostly I agree with what you have said, Detlef, however, I would modify the statement that "the real value of a keris is in the blade".

The real cultural and historic value of a keris is certainly to be found in the blade, but the value of items of dress can very often outweigh the value of a blade.

Take this keris that danamd has posted a pic of. If That wrongko is well carved and well finished and of quality material, the wrongko alone would be worth far more than the blade.

Take a hypothetical:- 22K gold mendak set with diamonds & rubies on a very ordinary Pajajaran blade. The blade may be a family pusaka and has a very high cultural value, especially to the family concerned, but in terms of money, the mendak outweighs everything else.

People often tend to forget that good quality keris dress is very expensive, and its value can often be greater than the value of the blade it is on.

We do not appraise here, nor do we give valuations, however, it is useful to understand how the value of a keris is arrived at.

In the keris trade everybody knows the value of the individual components of a keris. The value of a complete keris is the combined value of the individual components. However, this combined value will usually be adjusted either up or down to accommodate the overall impression of the complete keris. In other words, if it looks really great, price moves up a little, if it looks pretty crappy price moves down.

Many years ago--- about 1980--- there was a gentleman in Solo who sold Javanese traditional dress and keris, and keris components. He probably gave me one of the best pieces of advice on keris valuation that I have ever had:-

"Everybody knows the value of the parts of a keris. We all know how much a pendok of a particular type is worth, and all the other parts. Gold and diamonds we can take down to Coyudan and get valued. But the value of a complete keris is what the seller will accept and the buyer will pay"
(Jln. Coyudan is the goldsmiths street in Solo)