My First Kris - Now I've Caught the Bug!
 

Hi All, here are some scans of my 1st Kriss. It was love at 1st sight - I even dreamed about it! After scanning some of the wonderful kris posted on the forum I can tell that mine is of recent manufacture. I think it's Balinese, based on the handle. The handle and scabbard are silver. The little ring with the stones are real star saphires and rubies (of low quality) - confirmed by a jewler friend of mine.

I love the handle, heavy carved silver - a beautiful sculpture! Being a neophyt to Indonesian weapons, it's a good 1st blade. I welcome thoughts and interpretations from the advanced collectors. :)

Greg

OK, let me make this clear to you guys who are suddenly becoming interested in keris.....you've made a terrible mistake......it's, ah, dha, yeah that's it....dha....it's dha you guys are really looking for. Ain't that right Andrew? :D
Seriously Greg, that's a really nice first keris you've got there. Frankly, from your photos i can't really tell if it's a newer Madurese "Bali" or late 19th-early 20thC actual Bali, though i do lean more towards a later blade. I can't really get a good feel for the finish based on your photos. The Bima hilt is probably 20thC, but very nicely done. I can see why you would be drawn to this piece. :)
Wouldn't mind some close ups and views of the sheath.

lol. You're a bad man, nechesh. :p

BTW, I got sniped on that tombak, so no Indo stuff for me, apparently :rolleyes:

Nechesh
 

How is work going on the keris flu vaccine ?
At this rate we could be looking at a forum wide pandemic .. :eek:

We must infect them with the dha virus as soon as possible .

No panic, gentlemen. The virus is a real disaster but, there is a cure for it!!!! Just show your stuff to the Mrs and you're cured forever!!!! :D :D :D :D
When this cure doesn't work, you're doomed. But don't worry, when you learned to live with it, you can get very very old. With or without the Mrs. :p :p :p

Greg,

Very nice keris. I vote for late 19th-early 20thC actual Bali.

Well Dr. Rick, the vaccine is almost completed, but i still need a DNA sample from the Master Dha of the evil dhamafia don Andy the Blade before i can synthesize an effect dha virus that can be easily disseminated to the unwary forum populus.......BWAH HA HA!!! :eek: :rolleyes: :D

what... what have I START--EE-D! Nooooooo! Holly spirit of PANJI please HEEELP! :eek:

WELCOME TO THE RANKS OF THE KERIS AFFLICTED :D
THAT IS A VERY GOOD WAY TO START A KERIS COLLECTION, THEY ARE MAKEING SOME VERY NICE BLADES IN BALI AND ARE EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD WITH THEIR WOOD CARVINGS AND METAL WORK ON DIETY HANDLES AND SCABBARDS. THE HANDLE ON YOURS IS A VERY NICE REPRESENTATION OF ONE OF THE MALE GODS, PERHAPS SOMEONE CAN SAY WHICH ONE.
I LIKE THE BALI KERIS BECAUSE OF ITS LARGER SIZE AND THE SHAPE OF THE ROBUST BLADES. I ALSO LIKE THE CARVING, METAL WORK AND STONES USED ON THE HIGHER END EXAMPLES. THE BALINESE DRESS IS SOMETIMES VERY BUSY COMPARED TO MOST OTHER KERIS WHICH ARE BEAUTIFUL IN A MORE PURE AND SIMPLE WAY. THE PARMOR CAN BE BUSY OR SIMPLE ON KERIS BLADES FROM MOST ANYWHERE AND ON SOME PENSULAR KERIS IS NOT EVIDENT AT ALL. YOU CAN FIND LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION ON KERIS IN THE OLD FORUM POSTS AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE GREAT PICTURES WILL STILL BE THERE.
CONGRADULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST!

Nechesh , since I am currently in the Andrew zone I'll try to get a sample ; which would be better ; hair ? :D
No , that one's out . :D
Perhaps a swab then ; hopefully I won't get bit . LOL :D

Since hair is definitely out ;) i think we can do with no less than blood itself....BWAH HA HA!!! :D

Hi Guys, thanks for the welcome, yes I've caught the bug :rolleyes: . Here is a scan of the the full keris. The scabbard is covered in repousse' silver. Would this be a tourist piece or perhaps a presentation piece? I'm just starting to comprehend the place of the kris in Indonesian society.

Cheers,

Greg

Certainly not a tourist piece Greg. There is far too high a standard of quality of workmanship here. This type and quality level of silverwork and wood carving is still being done in Bali. I would still like to see some more close-ups of the blade though. I think this might be 20thC work, but that hardly implies tourist, just not very old.

The attribute held by the deity (Bayu?) is quite nice, with the fish eggs (telur ikan) on it. Anyone seen other hilts with such works?

Even though i wrote Bima before it i had meant to say Bayu, so i think you are right there. What is it about th held object that make you say fish eggs? Isn't Bayu often depicted holding a mirror?

That doesn't look like any I've every seen! Or maybe I have seen many! In anycase...nice find!

Come on guys. You know the attribute of Bayu is a container of Amrita. See

http://www.mythfolklore.net/india/en...dia/amrita.htm

The figure seems to be missing the required crown for Bayu and has a mixed up head piece which resembles Bima's top knot hair work rather than Bayu's more elaborate styling.

Since it is a new piece I guess it might be a combination of specific portions of traditional hilts rather than a particular figure or possibly a representation of a Brahamn priest.

Good analysis Mick. Maybe there is a reason why i first wrote Bima when i meant Bayu. My sub-conscience was confused by the synthesis. :)

Guys, I know nothing about Hindu mythology, but the object in my guys' hand looks more like a calestial mirror.

Greg :confused:

Oh, I didn't mean the attribute was fish eggs; that would be a most interesting thought. :D

"Fish eggs" or "telur ikan" refers to the small little metal beads which resemble... fish eggs. Its a technique commonly employed in jewellery-making (including keris accessories) in India and S.E.A.

This is the 1st time I'm seeing it employed on the attribute of a Balinese figural hilt.

A lovely keris. Wished tourist keris looked like this one...........