Victorian (?) Antler Hilt Kris

[Jerseyman]

This feels to me like a Victorian re-hilting of an Indonesian keris.

I hesitate to put it in the keris forum as I'm not sure it's appropriate, but of course I hope the moderators will shift it to whichever forum they believe is correct, with my apologies if I guessed wrong.

The hilt is a large chunk of deer antler with a 2mm thick iron butt plate. It looks clumsy but is surprisingly ergonomic in the hand. It very much seems to me to be an out-of-culture re-hilting. The material brings to mind 19c Scottish hunting knives.

The scabbard is very close fitting flat leather. It's lost the very end and I doubt it ever had a chape. There is no belt loop or any form of attachment, so I'm not sure how it was designed to be worn.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on the possible cultural context for this blade.


Dimensions

Length 42cm
Blade length 30cm
Blade width 6cm > tip
Hilt length 12cm
Hilt width 3cm x 7cm x 4.5cm
Scabbard length 30cm
Scabbard width 6.5cm > broken tip

[JeffS]

I think our moderators will have a hard time deciding which of our three sub-forums this should go in! The ganga is missing, making the base narrower and more suitable for a hunting knife. Have the edges been sharpened for utility use? Is the blade heavy as well (it reminds me of Tuban examples I've seen here)? Probably an abomination for keris students but the heavy oversized bolster and antler with plate somehow "works" in my opinion, The beautiful topographic pamor would be quite impressive and exotic for the owner if indeed a 19C European hunting knife. Looking forward to hearing from our experts!

[Sajen]

The blade is a Bugis blade.

Regards,
Detlef

[Ian]

Originally Posted by JeffS

I think our moderators will have a hard time deciding which of our three sub-forums this should go in! ...!

Hi Jeff, everything is "ethnographic." This is, after all, the Ethnographic Arms and Armour Forum.

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by Sajen

The blade is a Bugis blade.
Regards,
Detlef

Of course, the typical hexagonal cross section should have been obvious.

[Interested Party]

I like this combination; with the possible exception that it may have been re-hilted with the back of the blade being the cutting edge now. How does it feel in the hand? Does it feel better with the point down (original orientation) or up? I find it intriguing when blades have such epic journeys during their working lives.

It oddly does have a Scottish feel to it now.

[Rick]

iirc that blade dhapor is called Sepokal (bamboo shoot).
I'm not quite sure what rebating one edge would accomplish as far as efficiency
goes.

[Jerseyman]

Thanks everyone.

Rick, thanks for the dhapor information - can you clarify for me what you mean by rebating one edge? Both edges have been sharpened for utility use. Thanks

IP - it actually feels okay in the hand either way round, but I think whoever put it together probably designed it to be used point up, the non-traditional way. They may not have even considered the opposite orientation.

Detlef thanks for the blade ID.

[Rick]

By rebating I meant dulling one edge as a work/camp knife. The blade is unsuitable for that job as it is. My guess from looking at the knife and scabbard is that it may have been taken out of its culture to be used primarily for self defense and worn in a sash or as a large boot knife.

Anyway, that's my take on this piece correct or not.