Need Help to Identify Pamor and Tangguh

[Azman]

Dear friends and colleagues,

I have recently taken a keris from Bali at [name edited] collection. He told me that this keris is from old 17th century Madura steel and aged is over 200 years. I was attracted to the design of the keris which is claimed to have pamor bulu ayam.

I'm not sure of the authenticity as I'm not a keris expert so when I got home I did some research but unfortunately I really cannot find any similarity in terms of the keris design. The closet I could see is either Ron Pakis of Belarak Ngirid but still there are subtle differences when I compare the pamor design. Besides that I also cannot tell the age of this keris as there is really no guide on how to tell the tangguh. I've attached the pictures of my keris and I would appreciate if you can help to share your view on this.

The other thing that I need advise on is that my keris ganja came loose when it was accidentally dropped at the airport. I'm thinking of repairing this by doing a bit of braze welding but I'm not sure whether this is recommended. Can you also help to advise on what can I do to fix this ganja to the blade.

Thank you kindly for your help and advise.

Sincerely, Azman

[Rick]

You own this keris ?

[David]

That is a very interesting keris you have there. PLEASE do NOT weld the gonjo in place.

[David]

Just a few tips for good ID photos. Shoot directly above the blade so that the images do not distort the perspective. Shoot in well lit open shade without flash. Show a shot of the entire blade.
I am also interested to know if you actually own this blade. You say the you have "taken" it from Bali.

[A. G. Maisey]

There are a few methods for fixing the gonjo to the blade, and none involve brazing or welding. Do this and you will have ruined the blade.

The most frequently encountered method in Javanese, Balinese & Madura blades is to use a "key" in a keyway. This is very small pin that is driven into a tapered slot that has been cut in the hole in the gonjo that accepts the tang.

Another method is to fit the gonjo to the tang with a very neat press fit, and then using a punch and hammer, tighten that fit.

A popular method used on restored, altered, repaired and new blades since about 1960 -1970 is to use either super glue or two part epoxy resin, or plastic steel.

Looking at this blade, I believe that close inspection will reveal traces of super glue. Unless you want a time consuming job, re-fixing this gonjo with a one of the adhesives I have mentioned might be the best way to go.

As David has recommended, we need photos taken at 90 degrees to the blade in open shade and without a flash. One full length photo, and one close up of the bottom (widest ) third of the blade. Photos of the scabbard and hilt might also be of use.

[ivoke]

Nice hilt, coromandel?

[Azman]

Hello Rick, Yes, I own this keris.I bought it from a keris collector in Bali whose name I cannot mention here. He has huge collections and have exhibit his keris at Vredeburg - Yogyakarta in 2005.

What happened was that my tour guide took me to his house to look for keris as I have expressed interest to him earlier. The moment I step my feet into this old room which was full of kerises of various size and design, my eye was caught by this bare blade which was laying on a bench. The pamor design was most unique and I immediately felt a sense of connection with it. However, the keris owner said I can only own it if the measurement of the blade matches my measurement on my thumb width. He then took a piece of coconut leave and make the measurement from the center line of the blade length one side to the other and make another measurement at the mid length width of the blade. He then wrapped the coconut leave to the the exact measured width of the blade. It was wrapped 13 times. He then asked me to used the edge of my thumb of my right and left hand and sequentially lay over each other over the entire length of the blade. Surprisingly it counted 13 times as well. I was skeptic and tried on another 7 luk blade and it counted 11 times. The Kris collector told me that 13 count is a better count to keep. Me being me, which is full of skeptic, didn't really pay much attention to this. Really, it was the design that attracts me a lot. The blade collector said that this blade was very rare and old and the price is a bit high. I didn't really think twice as I know deep in my heart I like it so much. So I bought it.

I did ask him what was the origin of the blade. He said, this blade was sold to him by a Balinese villager who was desperate for cash as He had lost some betting. He told me the blade was actually kept hanging in a bamboo stem to protect it from wear and tear. He also told me to take this and try to keep it and if I don't want to keep it anymore I can pass it back to him and he is willing to pay back the price that I paid. To him this keris has protective power for the owner but I'm not really sure of this claim but at the same time since i don't know much on keris, I do not want to contest it.

Hi David, thanks for your advise. I'll try to take another photo as suggested later. It's night time now and hence, I cannot get good natural lighting without flash.

Thanks for the advise AG. Actually, you are spot on on the super glue. I tried doing that but it does not seem to hold well. So I decided to clean it up and just press fit it. I have welded this blade yet as I don't want to inflict any damage to it.

I have never heard coromandel too. What is it?

[David]

Originally Posted by Azman

I have never heard coromandel too. What is it?

Well, i think it is better known as Calamander, but i believe ivoke was referring to the wood of your hilt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamander_wood

[A. G. Maisey]

Super glue will not fill a gap, the mating surfaces need to be a perfect fit. If super glue won't do the job, two part epoxy or plastic steel will. The surfaces need to be very clean before use, acetone is useful for this.

From the small amount of the hilt I can see, my guess is that we're looking at makassar ebony, this is a very popular wood used for carving in Bali.

[ivoke]

Sorry about the coromandel, i will use more words next time.

About measuring a keris, here's something but i am not the autor.


The Balinese usually use a piece of busung, young coconut leaf, to measure the blade and width of a kris. The busung is first cut to match the entire length of the blade, then folded in half. This determines the half-way point in the blade's length. Then the busung is folded, accordion-like, each fold the width of the blade at the middle point - a length called lumbang rai. The nature of the kris is determined from the number of these lumbang rai, essentially, the ratio of length to width:
10 rai: Kala ngamah awak ("Kala eats his body") - If this kris is used the owner will damage himself.
11 rai: Durga masiyung ("Durga is with a bird") - Ownership of this kris will mean bad things for the owner and his family, and these will persist over a long time.
12 rai: Lara muwuh ("Poverty and grief will increase") - Bad things will result from possession of this kris, especially illness.
13 rai: Bima kosa krana - The person who owns this kris will be steadily peaceful and will be lucky in his trade. Soldiers will live a long time if they use this kris.
14 rai: Darmawangsa - This kris is good for a person who gives traditional medicine to others. It is good for a person who prays a lot. The owner will be given all that he asks for by people as well as God.
15 rai: Arjuna sakti ("Arjuna is powerful") - The magical power of this kris allows the owner to see his enemies even when they make themselves invisible. The kris can be owned by Ksatriya people (warrior or ruling caste). The kris is good for sellers. One who owns this kris will have many friends. Women will love him. Everything he does will be successful. He will have constant good luck.
16 rai: Suksama angel- The owner will find unhappiness all of his life. Magical powers will harm the owner.
17 rai: Naga-samparna - This kris is good to use for help. The owner can get help easily when he asks for it. It is also good for those who give traditional medicine to others.
18 rai: Sesangkap- purna- This kris is very useful for keeping in the house. The owner will be liked by friends and family. This kris should not be taken on a trip, nor should it be taken on a boat.
19 rai: Durga katamu ("Meeting Durga") - This kris is bad for traveling. It is best to keep the kris in the house because then there will be no problems. It could be used for evil purposes too, if it is taken outside the house. It will then make enemies.

This system seems to favor kris that are generally long with respect to width - all less than 13 times as long as they are wide at the middle have quite unfavorable properties.

The second system determines the suitability of a kris for its owner by measuring its length in units of the owner's thumbwidth. One begins by placing his right thumb across the blade against the hilt, and then lays his left thumb against that, picks up his right and lays that against the left, working his way up the blade in this manner. He then counts the total number of thumb widths, if the last does not quite fit at the tip it is counted anyway. This total is then divided by seven. The remainder of the division becomes the key to the kris's characteristics. Suppose it takes 17 thumbwidths to reach the tip. Seventeen can be divided by seven twice, with a remainder of three. This "three'" is then used in the table below:

1 The kris is satriya; good to be used by one of the Ksatriya caste
2 The kris is ratna candra-masurya; good for sellers of anything
3 The kris is wanara cinara-cara; good for use by subordinates of the king
4 The kris is kala-mertyu (the spirit who takes your soul when you die); the kris is bad for Ksatriya caste people because it can cause them to harm themselves
5 The kris is Arjuna-pasupati, the kris of a soldier; if the person is robbed, others will help him.
6 The kris is kepaten twan, very bad; not good for use by anyone
7 The kris is dhar1naWallgsa; good for use by high priests

The final method is to do roughly the same thing as with the thumbs, except using the width across four fingers, close to the palm. Alternate right and left hands, starting with the right as with the thumbs.At the tip, some fingers will fit on the blade, and some will not. The fingers then serve as the remainder. Only the number of fingers remaining on the blade is significant. The characteristics of the kris are as follows:

1 This kris is sang akarya, which means "good behavior"; the owner will be followed by many people
2 This kris is kalamertiyu, meaning that it is for a person who is a good judge; the owner will have many friends and people will like him; the owner can read the character of others very easily
3 This kris is kalajana, it represents anger; if the owner uses it when asking something from someone, bad things will occur
4 This kris is nagawiraksa, meaning that it is good for people who like to fight, such as Ksatriyas; the owner will be brave in war

[sirek]

From the small amount of the hilt I can see, my guess is that we're looking at makassar ebony, this is a very popular wood used for carving in Bali.[/QUOTE]

IMHO, MAKASSAR EBONY is also know as COROMANDEL or:
DIOSPYROS-CELEBICA


Like Mr.Maisey already mentioned, many woodcarving from Bali are of this type of wood.

[A. G. Maisey]

Ganesha.

Disturber of disturbances.