Sandang walikat sheath from metal

[Green]

Alan;

I've not heard the term 'mamas' before. Is this a indonesian ? or just colloquial form used by some?

Kai;

Yes, the blade is relatively small. Only 11 inch length.

I noticed that little slit too... wonder what is the purpose? I can not show close up as I don't have not received the keris yet.

[David]

I love this style of sandang walikat sheath and would like to add one to my own collection one day. But Alan is right that this is East Jawa in origin so it does seem wrong for the keris itself, which i agree is possibly Sulawesi. Too bad none of the photos show the fit of the blade in the sheath.
I can't tell for sure what the hilt is made of. Could be ivory. But if it is it doesn't look like sperm whale to me.
That mendak also seems out of place on this ensemble.
I do love this little blade though and think to will clean up nicely. I also noted the notch and assume it may have to do with how the gonjo is secured or the method the pesi is attached to the blade.

[A. G. Maisey]

Mamas is sort of like nickel silver, or german silver, there is a Chinese type of white metal that I think might in fact be mamas, but I've forgotten the Chinese name, its something like "pakun" or similar I think.

I've maybe seen that type of little slit before, sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal, and once or twice with a gold infill. I've been told that the gold serves the purpose cooling the wilah and of preventing any possible adverse effects flowing from the wilah back to the user. In fact, I've seen gold bars and dots in the base of a wilah, and in various places in a gonjo.

[Shieh]

My thoughts, to the extend of my limited knowledge:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Mamas is sort of like nickel silver, or german silver, there is a Chinese type of white metal that I think might in fact be mamas, but I've forgotten the Chinese name, its something like "pakun" or similar I think.

I believe it's referred to as 'Pak Kam' (Cantonese) or 'Pek Kim' (Hokkien); both means 'White Gold'. However, I do not know the composition of this alloy.

I've maybe seen that type of little slit before, sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal, and once or twice with a gold infill. I've been told that the gold serves the purpose cooling the wilah and of preventing any possible adverse effects flowing from the wilah back to the user. In fact, I've seen gold bars and dots in the base of a wilah, and in various places in a gonjo.

Could this also refer to 'pasak', the insertion of a valuable metal e.g. gold/suasa/silver/alloy or even iron/steel/pamor material into the gonjo recess, as seen in some old Semenanjung keris? 'Apparently' the use of gold inserts on the keris is to 'counter' the 'invincibility' of the opponent. No personal experience of this though.....