A Third Acquisition

[MichaelZWilliamson]

A child's keris. Bought from an American who travels and acquires them.

[David]

Hi Michael. I am not convinced this keris is meant for a child despite its small size. Smaller Javanese keris are often called patrems and often meant for women. This one, however is a keris putut. It has the figure of a praying man at the base. It does not seem like a particularly old one. But it may have been intended for a Dukun, a shaman of sorts. The dress seems adapted to the smaller size of this keris rather than made for it.

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Thanks. As far as I know, this is recent--within the last 20 years.

[David]

Originally Posted by MichaelZWilliamson

Thanks. As far as I know, this is recent--within the last 20 years.

Yes, it has that look. It's hard to tell what the original intentions of a recent blade like this made in this style. It's a roughly carved piece for sure, but real talismanic blades often are roughly crafted so it doesn't discount a spiritual purpose. But it is just as likely this keris was made for the marketplace, possible even that the putut figure was added later to increase sales potential since it looks like an afterthought.
How well does the blade fit in the scabbard? Does it seem to have been made to fit the blade?

[MichaelZWilliamson]

The scabbard is a very close fit. It was definitely made en suite.