My first keris
 

I know nothing about keris. All my limited experience is with Indo-Persian and Philippine blades. I saw this piece on Ebay that was poorly described, and it appealed to me. So I put in a low bid and as luck would have it, won. I'll do more research, but first wanted to ask the experts, what do I have? :)

Ebay Keris


Thanks,
Steve Ferguson

Steve, don't buy any lottery tickets.

You just used up all the luck you have due to you at the moment.

This is a Palembang keris with some age to it, basically sound, and will restore beautifully. A very good buy.

Damn Steve! Nice score. This piece certainly has condition issues, but as Alan suggests, it should restore nicely. You lucked out looking under the spelling CHRIS, one you hardly ever see people using for the keris. It looks like you might want to replace the cracked selut. Otherwise you should be able to work with what you've got. Congrats! :)

Hi Steve,

Congratulations on your first keris! May there be more in the future. :) It's interesting that you started out with a Palembang keris; most people (me included) start out with Javanese/Madura Muda kerises, being seduced by the flashiness (no offence to Javanese kerises and collectors :D). However, I grew to appreciate Bugis/Malay/Sumatran kerises for the tough iron/steel used in their construction, the simple but functional forging, the tempering which hardens 70% of the blade, the confident feel in the hand, and not forgetting the fiery-grained kemuning wood used to make the sheath and hilt.

In my opinion, Palembang kerises marry the sturdiness of Bugis kerises with the grace of Javanese kerises. And they have some of the finest carved hilt forms of the keris world.

What is it in this keris that caught your eye? :)

I agree! Their seems to be a more even marriage of influences in Palembang and perhaps Sumatran keris in general. :)

Thanks guys. I'm learning already. Palembang is southern Sumatra, Selut is the "ferrule", Ukiran is the hilt.

I was attracted to it because it looks "real", and the "bent" style of the ukiran looks neat.


Steve

Steve

You did good. David if you remember we discussed this keris a few months ago when it was up for auction but we both passed on it :( Steve keris are very addicting so be careful or you will end up like the rest of us ;) :)

Lew

Oh Lew, I remember your avatar... :) Neat keris... Very Neat keris. :)

Hi Steve,

I guess all kerises are real from a certain perspective. :) But I know what you mean. The keris looked like it could well have been carried in the sash of some Palembang gentleman in the 19th century, and was tough enough to be used to defend himself.

The bent hilt is probably one of the earliest forms of ergonomic design to fit the human hand and to facilitate a firm thrust. :)

I may be hooked. :) This is a very neat piece. What distinguishes it instantly to everyone as a Palembang keris? Thanks for all of your help!

Steve

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../Palembang.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...embang-out.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ang-Ganjah.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bang-pamor.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...-engraving.jpg

You cleaned it up nicely and it has a lovely pamor :). Your hooked now my friend but I do not want to hear that you were caught hanging outside of those Singapore keris shops at 2am in the morning with that dazed look in your eyes :eek: :D


Lew

Everything about your keris says Palembang. The ukrin and its selut, the wrangka, and the blade are all Palembang style. You even have the remnants of original Palembang gold work on the ganja and the gandik. Palembang gold work was not installed as well as the Javanese work. The Javanese worked the steel in high relief to the design required and placed large cuts in the surface of this relief. The gold was then hammered on top of these surfaces so that it was forced into these cuts and then carved to the final design. The steel in Palembang was not done in such high relief and the gold was placed over the top of the areas as a cap hammered down and then carved to the final design. This allowed the gold to be removed in larger pieces than either the Javanese or the Balinese work and this is what happened to the gold on your keris. You can see the remnants of the work in the light engraving of the ganja and the gandik as well as small pieces of the gold sticking out of the cracks at the base of both of these features where the cap was fastened.

Except for a Palembang pendok, if you want to see the attributes of a Palembang keris, just hold your keris in your hand. Extremely good work for a beginner.

More Palembang kerises for your reference.

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php
(This one has a slightly unusual sheath.)

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php
(This small little guy is probably from the fringes of Palembang sphere of influence. The sheath form is a lot more exaggerated.)

And this is probably from somewhere near Palembang.
http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

Hi Mick,

When you said large cuts, did you mean like in the pictures below? It appears that some Palembang kerises may have gold work done in a fashion similar to the Javanese.

Gentlemen,
Thank you for all of your help!

Steve

You are right BluErf. That looks like Javanese work. I believe the forum has established that there is some crossover between Javanese work and Sumatran work in the Palembang area.