Keris Palembang? for comment.

Athanase · 1st April 2017, 05:33 PM

Hello,

I would like the opinion of the forum experts for this Keris.

The handle has an unusual style for me (but I know very little about the Palembang Keris).
The previous owner at Buy this Keris in Java in 1994.
The blade is old but I can not estimate the age of the handle, copper alloy with low grade silver and with a red gem (glass ?, garnet ?, ruby?).

The scabbard dates from the end of the XX century.
The previous owner at Buy this Keris in Java in 1994.

kai · 1st April 2017, 06:39 PM

Hello Athanase,

For me this looks like a Javanese keris in a - sorry for being frank - rather ugly scabbard based on Palembang style but probably produced on Java, too.

Genuine keris blades from Palembang can look very similar to classic keris Jawa blades. The blade would probably need to be in good stain and we'd need lots of crisp pics to attempt placing the blade with any certainty. I'd guess though that the blade is more likely to originate from Java, and it probably being not very old.

The hilt is a modern attempt at the Nyamba style (a wayang figure); not great craftmanship either but quite detailed and certainly not as bad as the scabbard.

I would toss the scabbard and look for a fitting Javanese scabbard for the keris. This classic hilt style seems to often come with keris from eastern Java and a scabbard from that region (including ladrang Madura) should be suitable.

Regards,
Kai

Athanase · 1st April 2017, 07:49 PM

You confirm my doubts for the scabbard.
I supposed that the handle was post WW2 too but I like it anyway.

1st April 2017, 05:33 PM	#1
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 408	Keris Palembang? for comment. Hello, I would like the opinion of the forum experts for this Keris. The handle has an unusual style for me (but I know very little about the Palembang Keris). The previous owner at Buy this Keris in Java in 1994. The blade is old but I can not estimate the age of the handle, copper alloy with low grade silver and with a red gem (glass ?, garnet ?, ruby?). The scabbard dates from the end of the XX century. The previous owner at Buy this Keris in Java in 1994. Attached Images

1st April 2017, 06:39 PM	#2
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Hello Athanase, For me this looks like a Javanese keris in a - sorry for being frank - rather ugly scabbard based on Palembang style but probably produced on Java, too. Genuine keris blades from Palembang can look very similar to classic keris Jawa blades. The blade would probably need to be in good stain and we'd need lots of crisp pics to attempt placing the blade with any certainty. I'd guess though that the blade is more likely to originate from Java, and it probably being not very old. The hilt is a modern attempt at the Nyamba style (a wayang figure); not great craftmanship either but quite detailed and certainly not as bad as the scabbard. I would toss the scabbard and look for a fitting Javanese scabbard for the keris. This classic hilt style seems to often come with keris from eastern Java and a scabbard from that region (including ladrang Madura) should be suitable. Regards, Kai

1st April 2017, 07:49 PM	#3
Athanase Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 408	You confirm my doubts for the scabbard. I supposed that the handle was post WW2 too but I like it anyway.