Two Sumatra kerises

BluErf · 22nd February 2011, 04:50 AM

Hi all,

Just to share a couple of my kerises. First one is a Straits Bugis keris with a simple sepokal blade. The blade is thin, but quite strong. Flexes sturdily. Edge is rather worn off. Interesting thing is the pamor, which almost looks like the reflective 3D type (doesn't come up well in the photos). Blade has a nice incense smell. I'm storing the blade in plastic after cleaning to minimize the need to oil it (and in the process remove the nice incense smell. Hilt is a superb example). Strong nose, plump but sure form.

BluErf · 22nd February 2011, 04:58 AM

Next up is a nice Sumatran keris, possibly from some where near Indragiri (?? really not sure). The main reason why I acquired it was the silver pendok. It is made by a Chinese silversmith. If you notice the way the pendok was fitted to the sampir, the joint is rather too stiff and parallel to the bottom of the pendok, showing that the silversmith doesn't really get the keris aesthetics. The other interesting thing is that if you count the number of flowers on the pendok, it numbers eight. An auspicious number for the Chinese, but hardly what we associate with keris/Malay preference for odd numbers. This keris is an example of cross-cultural mixes that went into the keris, and the larger cultural environment in the archipelago.

Marcokeris · 22nd February 2011, 07:03 AM

Very nice

sirek · 22nd February 2011, 09:35 AM

Thanks for sharing,

I especially love the second one with the panjang shape and beautiful engraving

Sajen · 22nd February 2011, 08:32 PM

Hello Kai Wee,

like usual when you post pieces from your collection: very very nice. The pendok of the second keris remind me of the pendok of a keris from my collection where I suppose that it is chinese work as well.
Thank you very much for sharing this both keris with us.

Regards,

Detlef

BluErf · 23rd February 2011, 04:52 AM

Hi Sajen,

The pendok on your keris does look similar in motifs, but I can't tell for sure that it is Chinese work as well. In fact, for my keris, I could make that conclusion because of the silversmith maker's mark, which were in Chinese characters.

BluErf · 23rd February 2011, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirek

Thanks for sharing,

I especially love the second one with the panjang shape and beautiful engraving

The keris is actually an anak alang, not a panjang.

sirek · 23rd February 2011, 03:05 PM

I think it's still nice

but I meant to say: that I found the shape of the blade looks similar
to a panjang-blade?

danny1976 · 23rd February 2011, 04:41 PM

Bleuerf,

Thank you for sharing !
I like the first blade , simple form but with a great appereance because
of the pamor, realy nice !

22nd February 2011, 04:50 AM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Two Sumatra kerises Hi all, Just to share a couple of my kerises. First one is a Straits Bugis keris with a simple sepokal blade. The blade is thin, but quite strong. Flexes sturdily. Edge is rather worn off. Interesting thing is the pamor, which almost looks like the reflective 3D type (doesn't come up well in the photos). Blade has a nice incense smell. I'm storing the blade in plastic after cleaning to minimize the need to oil it (and in the process remove the nice incense smell. Hilt is a superb example). Strong nose, plump but sure form. Attached Images

22nd February 2011, 04:58 AM	#2
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Next up is a nice Sumatran keris, possibly from some where near Indragiri (?? really not sure). The main reason why I acquired it was the silver pendok. It is made by a Chinese silversmith. If you notice the way the pendok was fitted to the sampir, the joint is rather too stiff and parallel to the bottom of the pendok, showing that the silversmith doesn't really get the keris aesthetics. The other interesting thing is that if you count the number of flowers on the pendok, it numbers eight. An auspicious number for the Chinese, but hardly what we associate with keris/Malay preference for odd numbers. This keris is an example of cross-cultural mixes that went into the keris, and the larger cultural environment in the archipelago. Attached Images

22nd February 2011, 08:32 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,786	Hello Kai Wee, like usual when you post pieces from your collection: very very nice. The pendok of the second keris remind me of the pendok of a keris from my collection where I suppose that it is chinese work as well. Thank you very much for sharing this both keris with us. Regards, Detlef Attached Images

22nd February 2011, 07:03 AM	#3
Marcokeris Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 928	Very nice

22nd February 2011, 09:35 AM	#4
sirek Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 169	Thanks for sharing, I especially love the second one with the panjang shape and beautiful engraving

23rd February 2011, 04:52 AM	#6
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Hi Sajen, The pendok on your keris does look similar in motifs, but I can't tell for sure that it is Chinese work as well. In fact, for my keris, I could make that conclusion because of the silversmith maker's mark, which were in Chinese characters.

23rd February 2011, 03:05 PM	#8
sirek Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 169	I think it's still nice but I meant to say: that I found the shape of the blade looks similar to a panjang-blade?

23rd February 2011, 04:41 PM	#9
danny1976 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Holland Posts: 245	Bleuerf, Thank you for sharing ! I like the first blade , simple form but with a great appereance because of the pamor, realy nice !