Hi Alan,

Oh, thanks. How about making a comparison between 2 Javanese kerises then? I'm sure the applicability of the comparison would not be in question, and forumnites would love to learn a bit or two. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Very nice Bugis keris, would like to pick up something similar any day.

As for :Can or should we call this Rubenesque in the future ? ;) :D

No Kai Wee, I'm not going to do that, as at the present time it would only compound my error.

What I will try to do is produce an article on the art of the Javanese blade. I've actually already started this, but as with all my projects, there is not enough time to go around.

It would be nice if I could point to something that has already been written on this subject, but to my knowledge it has never been addressed---its the old story:- those who know do not go into print.

Anyway, once there is some general understanding of the concepts involved---which is far too big a subject to address in a post to a thread--- maybe we can have some meaningful discussion.

The conclusion was based on malay ORAL tradition - the robustness and the wesi type also contributed to the Malays' minds that this tok chu type is meant for fighting 1st, and other functions come seconds and so on. No doubt the original kerises commissioned by Tok Chu would have paid a lot of money (maybe palace related ppl), but the numbers were certainly no more than hundreds. He could be an empu tindih for the palace.......