Sumbawa keris for enjoy and discussion

A. G. Maisey · 23rd August 2009, 11:47 PM

From what I can see in the photos this blade does look like Jawa.

Having said that I will now say this:-

I have not studied keris from Sumbawa in depth.

I know what people living in Jawa and Bali regard as Sumbawa keris; I have seen photos of Sumbawa keris in a couple of books; I have a first edition of Stone, in which the illustrations are vastly better than in the later editions, and there are several keris attributed to Sumbawa shown in this book.

Based upon my extremely limited knowledge I cannot see any resemblance between this keris, and what I understand to be a Sumbawa keris.

I do know this:- certain dealers in Surabaya and Jogja assemble rare, unusual, and highly desireable keris from a mixture of genuine old parts and newly manufactured parts that have been carefully aged. These creations are then often marketed as having come from an area of the Archipelago that is not well known, and about which almost nothing exists to assist in verification of originality of keris.

In the case of a keris such as this one, I would want certification of provenance before I would accept that it is a real Sumbawa keris. Some of that work in the dress looks decidedly Jawa to me.

23rd August 2009, 11:47 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	From what I can see in the photos this blade does look like Jawa. Having said that I will now say this:- I have not studied keris from Sumbawa in depth. I know what people living in Jawa and Bali regard as Sumbawa keris; I have seen photos of Sumbawa keris in a couple of books; I have a first edition of Stone, in which the illustrations are vastly better than in the later editions, and there are several keris attributed to Sumbawa shown in this book. Based upon my extremely limited knowledge I cannot see any resemblance between this keris, and what I understand to be a Sumbawa keris. I do know this:- certain dealers in Surabaya and Jogja assemble rare, unusual, and highly desireable keris from a mixture of genuine old parts and newly manufactured parts that have been carefully aged. These creations are then often marketed as having come from an area of the Archipelago that is not well known, and about which almost nothing exists to assist in verification of originality of keris. In the case of a keris such as this one, I would want certification of provenance before I would accept that it is a real Sumbawa keris. Some of that work in the dress looks decidedly Jawa to me.