Interesting Keris to share

[RSWORD]

It has been a little quiet on the forum lately so thought I would share an unusual Keris for comments and thoughts.

[RSWORD]

Some additional pictures.

[Jean]

At last an interesting kris to see after the coronavisus stroke the Forum!
From Madura IMO, putrasatu/ raksasa hilt from bone, pamor Kul Buntet/ Singkir, ganja iras or missing? Nice scabbard in peculiar sadang walikat style. Congrats!

[Sajen]

Agree with everything Jean has said and I think it's an iras blade! East Java including Madura. Blade is very old IMO.

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, there is a quite heavy touch of Madura there, and it is a possibility that the blade was made in Madura, but that blade is stylistically West Java, Segaluh, and yes, it is gonjo iras.

But it is not Segaluh sepuh, it is probably no earlier than second half 19th century, and at that time the pamor motif could have been produced anywhere.

The kepet (chape) is usually identified as a Madura feature, but it does also occur in East Jawa in general, and on the North Coast; the locket with its pronounced lis is Madura.

The hilt can be placed as Madura, but also North Coast and to the East, same with the mendak.

The gambar/atasan is a bit of a puzzle, I cannot recall ever having seen anything exactly the same, but the ones I have seen that were similar were placed on the North Coast; I have never seen anything that I could consider to be close to this in style from the Sumenep area of Madura, from other places in Madura I cannot say.

The gandar appears to be covered with leather. I am unable to associate this with any area of greater Java that I know, and I have difficulty in being able to place it as legitimate indigenous keris dress. But it is a very common feature in European scabbards.

Taking all the above into consideration and considering historical associations, it is my opinion that this keris and its dress fittings were made to order in East Jawa, possibly Madura, but for a person of European origin, most likely Dutch.

[Rick]

I wonder if this blade fits into this group.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...highlight=iras

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Yes, there is a quite heavy touch of Madura there, and it is a possibility that the blade was made in Madura, but that blade is stylistically West Java, Segaluh, and yes, it is gonjo iras.

But it is not Segaluh sepuh, it is probably no earlier than second half 19th century, and at that time the pamor motif could have been produced anywhere.

Hello Alan,
I've thought it's a Segaluh blade, why is it not in your opinion?

Regards,
Detlef

[Jean]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

it is a possibility that the blade was made in Madura, but that blade is stylistically West Java, Segaluh, and yes, it is gonjo iras.

The gambar/atasan is a bit of a puzzle, I cannot recall ever having seen anything exactly the same, but the ones I have seen that were similar were placed on the North Coast;

Taking all the above into consideration and considering historical associations, it is my opinion that this keris and its dress fittings were made to order in East Jawa, possibly Madura, but for a person of European origin, most likely Dutch.

I agree that the blade is not in Sumenep style, but personally I would have placed it to East Java because of the ganja iras and pamor pattern especially. I attach the pic of an old Madurese blade (before 1900) with a similar pamor pattern Singkir/ Adeg.
The scabbard is much more recent than the blade IMO, I have seen similar ones which were attributed to EJ/ Madura.
Regards