First post: A Balinese Keris

[milandro]

Hello all! I am finally a member of this community although I have been watching for a while while trying to acquire information, I hope you will forgive me if I don’t immediately grasp everything especially the forum microculture which is different in every place and of course the terminology which I may not yet possess.

I am from the Netherlands where I’ve been living for the last 32 years. Of course as you know there are many krisses here, for obvious reasons.

At the moment I am the proud owner of 5 keris , probably a mix of relatively new and maybe something assembled with older parts.

This Keris which I like to show to the community was acquired from the estate of a former collector who passed away 35 years ago, the daughter told me that her father had bought most of his collection at a Dutch shop some 50 to 60 years ago. I bought 2 keris from her, This one and another from Madura , or at least with elements from Madura which I will show in another thread.


The Hilt or Ukiran shows , I believe, Buta Nawa Sari, The Warangka en Pendok have other images carved in the wood. I would like to ask those with a better knowledge of the Balinese culture what they think about the depictions there. Are these scenes from the Ramayana ( as some people in the Netherlands have suggested).

The wilah seems to be in relatively good state showing some slight pitting in parts . The Pamor is visible although at some point I may decide to have this going through a bath with some warangan to enhance the contrast even more and get rid of some oxidation which I think is there. The Pamor patter should be Pulo Tirto, Islands in holy waters (or so I’ve been told).

[jagabuwana]

Welcome, milandro!

I don't want to detract from your questions and observations, but will add that there appears to be a curve to this wilah that I haven't observed before in a Bali keris, but would more typically see in a Bugis-influenced keris. Provided that I'm not completely wrong, I wonder if it is a Lombok blade.

[Anthony G.]

Lombok keris? Nice keris.

[Jean]

From the pics I would rather identify the pamor pattern as Wengkon Isen (frame with contents), and agree with the proposed Lombok origin rather than Bali.

[milandro]

Thank you all, it may very well be from Lombok, which is my reason to ask for knowledge , thanks also for the revised suggestion on the pamor. I will try to learn about this. It was previously identified as such but of course I know that pamor identification is often debatable and debated.

I will post in another occasion pictures of another wilah that I think has a similar pamor and which is being etched at the moment and provided witha new Sarong.

Also I will be curious to know about what you think about the pamorless tombak and the Merak engraved Madura Keris.

[kai]

Welcome to the forum, Milandro!

The polish and stain seems to be original (or rather genuine Bali/Lombok style regardless of the origin of the blade) - keep it well oiled in a plastic sleeve and try to preserve it!

I agree with Jean on the main pamor attempted here being wengkon; quite uncommon for any Bugis blades. Thus, I'd guess at local manufacture (probably Lombok) with possibly a good dose of Bugis influence. (And maybe a bit of east Java?)

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

P.S.: The blade could well be antique; the fittings are modern replacements though.