KERIS IDENTIFICATION
 

HELLO EVRYBODY!
TODAY HAS ARRIVED AT HOME THIS KERIS , I BOUGHT FROM EBAY 3 WEEKS AGO.THE SELLER TOLD ME IS A ANTIQUE KERIS FROM SUMATRA.WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?
http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1
THANKS FOR ALL!!

Hello Carlos,

I think a decent piece for a nice price. I cannot see at the pictures if the keris exactly fits in the wranka, nevertheless it looks old and autentic.

On the webside: http://old.blades.free.fr/ You ca find a lot of information about this piece i think.
Once i bought something too from this seller, in my opinion a reliable seller with knowledge from the kerises he sells.

greetings Martin

Im not exactly one of the forums keris experts but I think you got a very nice keris,Sumatra sounds like a good possible origin but I wouldnt be surprised if it was from the penninsula either.Congrats! :)

Hi carlos,

Maybe you can post sharper pictures of the blade. I'm sure you'll get better comments, especially about the blade. ;)

From the fittings, it seems to be an average piece from Palembang.

I think Alam hit it right on the head, at least as far as dress is concerned. The eBay pics aren't good enough or close enough to make any good estimate on age, but the dress seems to have a nice patina and sure looks Palembang to me. I think you got a good deal on this one. :)

Hello Carlos and all Kerislovers,

you made a good deal, because the metallic oversheath seems to me not only tembaga (copper) but suasa, an alloy of gold and copper. Very typical for Palembang.

Ki Jayamalelo

I was thinking the sheath was silver with tarnish. As mentioned, better pictures would clear things up.

I was watching this auction and had wanted to bid because I thought the pendok was suasa too. Its good to hear an independent assessment that is congruent with mine. :)

Just for comparison - 1st pic is Carlos' keris. 2nd and 3rd pic are swasa accessories in my collection. Slight variation in colours due to different copper/gold content and background.

Btw, my avatar tajong hilt is covered in swasa too.

After looking at it closer one more time, I now think that it may be a layer of swassa over copper with the some of the swassa being worn away. The brown parts look like copper at the first stages of oxidation (not yet green).

I'm not sure exactly what you gentlemen are seeing. It looks like silver plate over copper or brass to me. This, i would imagine, is much more common than suasa or even solid silver.

Although the sheath may not be original to the blade, the parts are all old. The swasa pendok is just dirty; It'll polish up good.