eBay Toss of the Dice (NEW PICS!)

David · 16th February 2011, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Isn't wengkon an unbroken line standing back from the edge of the slorok following the entire profile of the blade ?

Well yes Rick, that's my point, that it is not. The stain is just worn away from the blade's edge. It doesn't look too bad, but it should probably go all the way to the edges. BTW, this is on of the most edge sharp keris i own. You could practically shave with it...
Any thoughts on the origin of this sheath type? Was it once an excepted form that became more "commercial" in the latter part of the 20th century. I don't think i have ever seen an old version of this form. I do believe i once read somewhere that it might be related to the theater (wayang).

Jussi M. · 16th February 2011, 05:46 AM

Bloody hell!

Congratulations!

Thanks,

J.

danny1976 · 16th February 2011, 04:45 PM

Hi David ,

Great blade !

I realy love this kind of pamor on the bali blade,s , just a little .
Imo why should you restain ? the old stain is still nice ,maybe not perfect but
nice enough.

This was a lucky number six on the dice

David · 16th February 2011, 05:18 PM

Thanks for the comments guys. I agree that for the most part the stain is not too bad here and i might well leave it alone. But i do need to get the remnants of the cosmoline off, which you may or may not notice in these photos.

I am really curious about 2 things in regards to this keris. Firstly whether others (besides Rick and i) also see this as an older Bali form. It seems that many of the antique keris we see from this area are late 19th-early 20th, but this one seems older to me. I have not found nearly as much information of the Bali keris in this regard as, say, the Javanese keris, but this keris has features which are somewhat unlike most late 19th C examples i have seen.
Secondly i am really interested in when and why this (i presume) newer dress form developed. We have certainly all seen the cheaper examples of this sheath, but was it always intended for tourist sales or is there some kind of cultural origin to the form? As i remarked earlier, i have never seen any really old sarongs in this form so i would imagine it did not come about until sometime in the 20th century. This would possibly put such information into the living memory of some, unlike so many other aspects of the keris that have been lost to time.

Henk · 16th February 2011, 06:02 PM

David, what a lovely keris. Worth gambling, i should say.

About the dress i'm not completely sure where i got it from, but i do remember that it is said or written that this type of dress was used to wear the keris for barong dance. If it was developed from a cultural event or that it was used to impress those who traveled for pleasure, i don't know.

David · 16th February 2011, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henk

David, what a lovely keris. Worth gambling, i should say.

About the dress i'm not completely sure where i got it from, but i do remember that it is said or written that this type of dress was used to wear the keris for barong dance. If it was developed from a cultural event or that it was used to impress those who traveled for pleasure, i don't know.

Yes Henk, i read the same somewhere as well, but i have no idea where and would love to find some source material on the subject.

Laowang · 17th February 2011, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Yes Henk, i read the same somewhere as well, but i have no idea where and would love to find some source material on the subject.

There is a reference in Frey, The Kris (third edition), page 74, caption for figure 31 which shows a similar scabbard and describes it as a 'carved wood Barong dance kris'. Beyond this I haven't personally seen any references.

Congratulations on a fine blade for a very fine price. Sometimes Ebay gambles do pay off.

16th February 2011, 05:46 AM	#2
Jussi M. Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 235	Bloody hell! Congratulations! Thanks, J.

16th February 2011, 04:45 PM	#3
danny1976 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Holland Posts: 245	Hi David , Great blade ! I realy love this kind of pamor on the bali blade,s , just a little . Imo why should you restain ? the old stain is still nice ,maybe not perfect but nice enough. This was a lucky number six on the dice

16th February 2011, 05:18 PM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Thanks for the comments guys. I agree that for the most part the stain is not too bad here and i might well leave it alone. But i do need to get the remnants of the cosmoline off, which you may or may not notice in these photos. I am really curious about 2 things in regards to this keris. Firstly whether others (besides Rick and i) also see this as an older Bali form. It seems that many of the antique keris we see from this area are late 19th-early 20th, but this one seems older to me. I have not found nearly as much information of the Bali keris in this regard as, say, the Javanese keris, but this keris has features which are somewhat unlike most late 19th C examples i have seen. Secondly i am really interested in when and why this (i presume) newer dress form developed. We have certainly all seen the cheaper examples of this sheath, but was it always intended for tourist sales or is there some kind of cultural origin to the form? As i remarked earlier, i have never seen any really old sarongs in this form so i would imagine it did not come about until sometime in the 20th century. This would possibly put such information into the living memory of some, unlike so many other aspects of the keris that have been lost to time.

16th February 2011, 06:02 PM	#5
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	David, what a lovely keris. Worth gambling, i should say. About the dress i'm not completely sure where i got it from, but i do remember that it is said or written that this type of dress was used to wear the keris for barong dance. If it was developed from a cultural event or that it was used to impress those who traveled for pleasure, i don't know.