Jens, one thing i can see in the first photo is that the blade at the waist DOES have a curve to it. It definitely curves down and seems to curve back upwards, though from the photo i can't see how far. I am sure we are all talking about the same weapon. Just because Elgood had a good look at it doesn't necessarily imply that he has properly identified it. I don't believe the keris is the focus of his study in edged weapons. Could be a keris, but just as easily it might not be.
As for the new picture, these are definitely not keris IMO. Did you mean to imply they were?
I would also like to point out the problem with drawing any solid conclusions about any weapon based on it's appearance in art. We can never be sure we are looking at an accurate depiction or even a historical accuracy for that matter. Rembrandt was known to include keris in historically inaccurate settings. Though that is less likely to happen in this case i think it illustrates a point. Art is art. Artifacts are the real thing. Artists will often approximate, exaggerate or just plain imagine an item. This isn't to say that i don't believe the keris made it's way to Southern India. In fact i think it is probably likely it did. I am just not convinced that this sculpture depicts that.
