Keris Books

[jor-el]

Does anybody know good keris books to buy?
I have some info but there are most of the books in non english language.
I would appreciate your help.

Themis

[Freddy]

Hi Jor-el, welcome to the forum.

You should try to find :

De Kris 1-2-3 - Magic Relic of Old Indonesia
(by G.J.F.J. Tammens)

These three volumes are written in Dutch and English and contain a lot of information and also a multitude of pictures and drawings. Not cheap, but worth their price.

Here is a link where you can still buy them :

http://cgi.ethnographicartbooks.com/...=3726536.26103

This museum book shop also has other good keris books.

[John]

Some more from here, compiled by our own Alam Shah:

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...hread&tid=1255

[jor-el]

Hi Freddy, i thank you for the welcomes.
Thank you all for the help. Wouaou!!!!
A lot of them. In case that somebody needs to focus in the parts of a keris in practical way (pamor-dapour distinctions etc.) and in its spiritual meaning which ones in english are more appropriate?

I think that many of you (for example Alam Shah...) might read these already or have in his collection. The extra help is appreciated.

Themis

[Alam Shah]

jor-el,

Superman's father?
Welcome to the forum. Perhaps it's easier to start-up with

1.) The World of the Javanese Keris.
http://www.eriksedge.com/TheWorldoftheJavaneseKeris.html
Auth: G. & B.Solyom,
Pub: East West Centre Pub., Honolulu 1978.
ISBN No: 0-9620340-0-2
Comments: ***** A must have primer. Concentrate on Indonesian keris culture.

2.) The Kris: Mystic Weapon of the Malay World.
Auth: Edward Frey,
Pub: Oxford University Press, Oxford (3rd Edition),
ISBN 0-19-588906-1
Comments: ***** Another very good primer with lots of good info and pictures in the Kris Archives. Shows a variety of different regions kerises.

[nechesh]

Welcome Jor-el. I agree whole-heartedly with Alam Shah, though i might also add another book to the short list that he mentions in the list on the link John provided.
The Kris: an earthly approach to a cosmic symbol.
Auth: David van Duuren.
Published: 1998, Netherlands, 1st Edition
Format: Hardcover, 95 pages,
ISBN: 907318732X
Comments: ***** Another good primer with good color photos.
Scholarly account of the kris - its distribution, history, function and production. The
significance of the design and motifs on the blade, hilt and sheath and the regional variations are all described with the aid of illustrations from the Royal Tropical Institute Collection, Amsterdam.
Certainly some of the best photos you will find in a keris book as well.

However, an understanding of the keris can never be reached in a vacuum. These authors only give you a very small glimpse into Indonesian culture so i highly recommend you study whatever you can find on the culture itself apart from that the keris. Skeat's "Malay Magic" is a good one and "Visible and Invisible Realms" by Margret Wiener is indespensible.

[jor-el]

Dear all,

i am thankfull for your help on bibliography for keris. I already spoke with some friends in your place (Java) and the best book ever, included in your lists is:

Ensiklopedi Keris (Keris Encyclopedia).
Auth: Bambang Harsrinuksmo,
Pub: Jakarta : Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2004.
Format: Hardcover, 630 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm.

Unfortunatelly i do not know Javanese language. Any good translators there (what am i asking...)? I heard that the cost there for translation is little compared with the one here.
Aaa.... the original book is going to be purchased by the way.

Best regards,

Themis