![]()  | 
	
| 
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#1 | 
| 
			
			 Member 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Dec 2004 
				Location: Cincinnati, OH 
				
				
					Posts: 940
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			 
			
			Nice hilt Rick. Is that horn with the ivory or ebony? I wouldn't mind seeing some close-ups of your blade. 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	Mans, the pamor on your example is very intricate and interesting, but there isn't much chance of mistaking it for Balinese work. Both the dapur and the pamor don't seem right for a Balinese piece. Only the dress appears Balinese and even there they used the wrong mendak. As i'm sure you know Rick, i don't really have a problem with Madurese perfecting Balinese type blades as long as they are not passed off as the real deal. The problem, of course, is that once they leave the smith there is little control as to how they will be presented to the collecting public. But clearly it is these Madurese smith and i believe a few in Jawa who are keeping the art alive. Sadly, it is doubtful that the very few empus that are left will be able to keep that level of keris making alive for very much longer.   I don't think this necessarily means an end to high quality keris making, but it may mean an end to the keris as a true cultural and spiritual object.  | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#2 | 
| 
			
			 Vikingsword Staff 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Nov 2004 
				
				
				
					Posts: 6,376
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			 
			
			Hi Lew, 
		
		
		
			I'd rather not say where the hilt was purchased .   We can discuss it via PM though . John , here's a little information I gleaned from Google about Kocet kocetan . http://www.nikhef.nl/~tonvr/keris/ke...ris_gal02.html Nechesh , it's ebony . I do agree with you about the loss of the x factor in the new pieces . ![]() On the other hand couldn't a 'talent' (practioner of majik) imbue the new keris with an x factor himself ? I'll try to get another picture in this post of the pamor ; it is chatoyant . Finally , yes the auction pictures were barely adequate . ![]() Pamor close up added : Last edited by Rick; 7th August 2005 at 03:57 AM.  | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#3 | |
| 
			
			 Member 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Dec 2004 
				Location: Cincinnati, OH 
				
				
					Posts: 940
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			 Quote: 
	
  
		 | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#4 | 
| 
			
			 Vikingsword Staff 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Nov 2004 
				
				
				
					Posts: 6,376
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			                      
		 | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#5 | 
| 
			
			 Member 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Dec 2004 
				Location: Orlando 
				
				
					Posts: 104
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			 
			
			Gentlemen 
		
		
		
			Here is what a good one looks like.  | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#6 | |
| 
			
			 Member 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Jan 2005 
				Location: Kansas City, MO   USA 
				
				
					Posts: 312
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			 Quote: 
	
 Just in case you hear any noises.... that was me having a heart attack!!! A gorgeous hilt!!!!!!!!!!  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#7 | 
| 
			
			 Vikingsword Staff 
			
			
			
				
			
			Join Date: Nov 2004 
				
				
				
					Posts: 6,376
				 
				
				
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
			
			 
			
			Very good indeed Mick ! 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	Would that I could afford such goodness .     
		 | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
![]()  | 
	
	
		
  | 
	
		
  |