The Sendai Keris

BluErf · 3rd August 2010, 03:02 PM

The hilt looks most interesting! I've seen something similar of recent manufacture, and I dismissed it as a newish design. According to the dealer, the hilt came from north coast of Java.

Gustav · 3rd August 2010, 09:07 PM

The hilt is much more finer as it seems on the pictures.

Jussi M. · 15th February 2011, 07:06 PM

Time to bump a worthy thread. Can anyone say anything about the sheath?

J

Gustav · 15th February 2011, 11:02 PM

Well, this really deserves more attention, yet there is a problem with adequate online pictures, with available material a discussion here seems to be impossible. Slightly better pictures of sheath and blade, good pictures of hilt and description are to be find in Jensen's Krisdisk, chapter 7 (Bali), pages 31-33.

VANDOO · 16th February 2011, 10:05 PM

PERHAPS THE DESIGN ON THE SCABBARD IS ONE OF THE BATIK DESIGNS. THESE DESIGNS IN BATIK AND PUA AND OTHER FABRICS HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEANINGS JUST AS PARMOR DOES. I WONDER IF THE HANDLE IS CARVED TO REPRESENT A JAPANESE GOD FIGURE PERHAPS QUAN YIN. THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR A GIFT TO THE JAPANESE RULER. IT NO DOUBT WAS MADE ESPECIALLY FOR THAT PURPOSE UNLESS IT WAS AN OLD ONE AT THE TIME .I SUSPECT IT WAS SPECIALLY MADE FOR THE PRESENTATION AS AT THE TIME GIVING SOMEONE SOMETHING OLD WAS OFTEN LOOKED ON UNFAVORABLY. THE ANTIQUE IDEA WAS NOT YET BORN AND OLD STUFF CONSIDERED LESS VALUABLE. JUST CONJUCTURE AS USUAL

I ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS FORM OF BLADE AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHILIPPINE OR MALAY KRIS HAS THIS FORM OF BLADE. IT IS A KRIS AND LARGE SO DOSEN'T FIT INTO THIS KERIS FORUM OR I WOULD DO A POST , THERE IS ONE IN THE OLD ARCHIVES ON IT. UNFORTUNATELY NO ONE COULD PIN IT DOWN.

Battara · 16th February 2011, 10:59 PM

Would love to have had even bigger pictures to tell if the scabbard has gold on it for sure and what quality of work. Same for the rest of the piece, especially since it is rare to have such an old piece like this with documented provenance going back that far.

Still thanks for posting this Alan.

Also I wonder if this was indicative of the size of blade back then, getting smaller in Indonesia as time progressed and larger in the Philippines.....

Gustav · 16th February 2011, 11:37 PM

The sheath is painted. There exist three or four such old sheaths with painted alas-alasan motifs. Painting is done very spontaneously, the depicted animals are well characterized.

15th February 2011, 07:06 PM	#3
Jussi M. Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 235	Time to bump a worthy thread. Can anyone say anything about the sheath? J Last edited by Jussi M.; 15th February 2011 at 10:19 PM.

3rd August 2010, 03:02 PM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	The hilt looks most interesting! I've seen something similar of recent manufacture, and I dismissed it as a newish design. According to the dealer, the hilt came from north coast of Java.

3rd August 2010, 09:07 PM	#2
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,273	The hilt is much more finer as it seems on the pictures.

15th February 2011, 11:02 PM	#4
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,273	Well, this really deserves more attention, yet there is a problem with adequate online pictures, with available material a discussion here seems to be impossible. Slightly better pictures of sheath and blade, good pictures of hilt and description are to be find in Jensen's Krisdisk, chapter 7 (Bali), pages 31-33.

16th February 2011, 10:05 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	PERHAPS THE DESIGN ON THE SCABBARD IS ONE OF THE BATIK DESIGNS. THESE DESIGNS IN BATIK AND PUA AND OTHER FABRICS HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEANINGS JUST AS PARMOR DOES. I WONDER IF THE HANDLE IS CARVED TO REPRESENT A JAPANESE GOD FIGURE PERHAPS QUAN YIN. THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR A GIFT TO THE JAPANESE RULER. IT NO DOUBT WAS MADE ESPECIALLY FOR THAT PURPOSE UNLESS IT WAS AN OLD ONE AT THE TIME .I SUSPECT IT WAS SPECIALLY MADE FOR THE PRESENTATION AS AT THE TIME GIVING SOMEONE SOMETHING OLD WAS OFTEN LOOKED ON UNFAVORABLY. THE ANTIQUE IDEA WAS NOT YET BORN AND OLD STUFF CONSIDERED LESS VALUABLE. JUST CONJUCTURE AS USUAL I ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS FORM OF BLADE AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHILIPPINE OR MALAY KRIS HAS THIS FORM OF BLADE. IT IS A KRIS AND LARGE SO DOSEN'T FIT INTO THIS KERIS FORUM OR I WOULD DO A POST , THERE IS ONE IN THE OLD ARCHIVES ON IT. UNFORTUNATELY NO ONE COULD PIN IT DOWN.

16th February 2011, 10:59 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Would love to have had even bigger pictures to tell if the scabbard has gold on it for sure and what quality of work. Same for the rest of the piece, especially since it is rare to have such an old piece like this with documented provenance going back that far. Still thanks for posting this Alan. Also I wonder if this was indicative of the size of blade back then, getting smaller in Indonesia as time progressed and larger in the Philippines.....

16th February 2011, 11:37 PM	#7
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,273	The sheath is painted. There exist three or four such old sheaths with painted alas-alasan motifs. Painting is done very spontaneously, the depicted animals are well characterized.