The other Palembang flee market keris

PeterP · 22nd January 2024, 02:40 PM

Hi, this is the other Palembang keris I bought at a flee markt. Also a nice one I think. Less smooth as the other one, but as i see it still a very good quality blade. It has some remnants of kinatah on top of the ganja. The grip is a bit less robust and the wood is of a lesser quality wood. A weird thing, which I have never seen before, is that the scabbard is made of two parts but split in the middle, not on the sides. So there is a left and a right part, instead of front and back. Can't imagine that this wasn't covered with a pendok.
Is this also a Palembang blade or from another area incorporated in a Palembang dress? Any thoughts or comments on this piece?
The total length of the keris is 53 cm, the blade without peksi is 40 cm.

A. G. Maisey · 22nd January 2024, 08:17 PM

I recently parted with a Bugis style keris that had the same method of gandar construction. It was the only one I had ever seen --- until I saw the picture of this one.

kai · 22nd January 2024, 09:21 PM

This is a pretty common way of construction of scabbards for northern Melayu keris coteng.

Also typical for western Sumatran Sewar - thus, this idea has been around.

Very unusual for Palembang or all of southern Sumatra though.

Regards,
Kai

GIO · 11th May 2024, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I recently parted with a Bugis style keris that had the same method of gandar construction. It was the only one I had ever seen --- until I saw the picture of this one.

I also have one. Now you can say you have seen two !

A. G. Maisey · 11th May 2024, 11:43 PM

Thanks GIO.

Sajen · 12th May 2024, 09:29 PM

A panjang with the same gandar construction.

A. G. Maisey · 13th May 2024, 12:25 AM

It is interesting the way these are showing up. I have only ever had one in my hands & had never seen another.

Now, measure that against how many keris I have had possession of & have seen. By about age 30 I had +/- 3000 keris in various states of repair, at age 30 I had 18 years experience with keris.

By around age 45 I had a lot less keris, I began getting rid of lesser keris as I began to understand the "quality" concept, & Empu Suparman was the single biggest influence in this.

However, most of the keris I have seen, owned, handled have been Javanese & Balinese.

Probably this way of making a gandar might be something that is limited to Sumatera & the Peninsula, to my mind this means that historically these places did not know about the segrek, the tool with reverse teeth that is used to make a gandar with no joints.

22nd January 2024, 02:40 PM	#1
PeterP Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 15	The other Palembang flee market keris Hi, this is the other Palembang keris I bought at a flee markt. Also a nice one I think. Less smooth as the other one, but as i see it still a very good quality blade. It has some remnants of kinatah on top of the ganja. The grip is a bit less robust and the wood is of a lesser quality wood. A weird thing, which I have never seen before, is that the scabbard is made of two parts but split in the middle, not on the sides. So there is a left and a right part, instead of front and back. Can't imagine that this wasn't covered with a pendok. Is this also a Palembang blade or from another area incorporated in a Palembang dress? Any thoughts or comments on this piece? The total length of the keris is 53 cm, the blade without peksi is 40 cm. Attached Images Last edited by PeterP; 22nd January 2024 at 02:48 PM. Reason: forgot something

12th May 2024, 09:29 PM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,409	A panjang with the same gandar construction. Attached Images

13th May 2024, 12:25 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	It is interesting the way these are showing up. I have only ever had one in my hands & had never seen another. Now, measure that against how many keris I have had possession of & have seen. By about age 30 I had +/- 3000 keris in various states of repair, at age 30 I had 18 years experience with keris. By around age 45 I had a lot less keris, I began getting rid of lesser keris as I began to understand the "quality" concept, & Empu Suparman was the single biggest influence in this. However, most of the keris I have seen, owned, handled have been Javanese & Balinese. Probably this way of making a gandar might be something that is limited to Sumatera & the Peninsula, to my mind this means that historically these places did not know about the segrek, the tool with reverse teeth that is used to make a gandar with no joints. Attached Images

22nd January 2024, 08:17 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	I recently parted with a Bugis style keris that had the same method of gandar construction. It was the only one I had ever seen --- until I saw the picture of this one.

22nd January 2024, 09:21 PM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	This is a pretty common way of construction of scabbards for northern Melayu keris coteng. Also typical for western Sumatran Sewar - thus, this idea has been around. Very unusual for Palembang or all of southern Sumatra though. Regards, Kai

11th May 2024, 11:43 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Thanks GIO.