A Sumbawa keris kalawija

BluErf · 7th June 2009, 06:48 AM

A keris from Sumbawa. The silver fittings with the twisted wire works are typical of the region, but not too gaudy. The hilt too, has motifs quite distinct from the Riau or Sulawesi Bugis. 15-waved blade, which seemed quite common in Sumbawa. Tough blade, with pretty tight adeg like forging lines.

sipakatuo · 7th June 2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluErf

A keris from Sumbawa. The silver fittings with the twisted wire works are typical of the region, but not too gaudy. The hilt too, has motifs quite distinct from the Riau or Sulawesi Bugis. 15-waved blade, which seemed quite common in Sumbawa. Tough blade, with pretty tight adeg like forging lines.

Nice

David · 7th June 2009, 09:14 PM

Thanks Kai Wee. A beautiful and elegant keris.

Sajen · 8th June 2009, 02:41 AM

A very nice blade in a good sarung.
sajen

drdavid · 8th June 2009, 07:17 AM

Very sophisticated indeed Kai Wee, thanks for showing this one. Does anyone else have examples from this island to show?
David

sipakatuo · 8th June 2009, 08:39 AM

Another Lamba 15 from Sumbawa

Pangulu : Duyung / Sea Ivory
Kili-kili : Silver
Wanua : Kemuning
Pamorro : Ure Tuo

khalifah muda · 28th September 2009, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sipakatuo

Nice

Nice, solid & elegant.

Sajen · 28th September 2009, 03:21 PM

Nice keris Gustav.

sajen

Gustav · 28th September 2009, 10:46 PM

Thank you Sajen.

It is of much less quality then the beautiful keris of Blu Erf and Sipakatuo, but this porous iron is typical for "lower end" Sumbawa keris,
thats why I posted it.

I also apologise for the very poor quality of pictures. The keris is also not stained, so even the low contrast pamor of this blade isn't visible in the pictures.

Some pictures of similar Sumbawa blades. These keris are not mine, so only detail pictures.

A. G. Maisey · 29th September 2009, 12:33 AM

To begin I will say this:-

I have never been to Sumbawa.

I have not investigated Sumbawa keris in any depth.

My only knowledge of the type of keris used and worn in Sumbawa comes from old photos in general travel books, and keris that I have handled that were supposedly collected from Sumbawa. I say supposedly because the people who owned these keris were not close friends and I had no way of knowing if I was being lied to or if I was being told the truth. My feeling at the time was that in all cases I was being told the truth.

The type of keris that I understand to be a Sumbawa keris is one with a blade of no remarkable quality, rather inferior material with a sand-like texture, no distinct ada-ada, lacking the flat blade faces of a Bugis keris, but of a generally Bugis type appearance. Blade section is like rotan, the gandik somewhat indented to accomodate the kembang kacang.

There is a tangguh that is known as "Kupang". This does not mean that the blades come from Kupang, but only that they come from far to the east of Bali. The people who searched for antiques and etc to sell to dealers in Bali used to call these keris "Kupang" in the pre-1960 period, and that is where the people in Solo picked up the terminology from, when they would visit Bali they learnt from keris people there that this type of keris was "tangguh Kupang".

The characteristics of tangguh Kupang are:-

heavy, sand-like texture, usually no pamor, when it occurs it is only found in large keris, the steel is thick and well heat treated, the pawakan is large and approaches that of a Bali keris, the gonjo is wide & large & ugly, if there is greneng it is crudely executed, the gandik tends to be high, there is often a janggut, the kembang kacang is small & the lambe gajah is set deeply into the gandik, the blumbangan is very shallow, sometimes it does not exist at all, a sogokan is extremely rare when it does exist it is shallow, pointed and thorn-like, an ada-ada is extremely rare, the cross section is like rotan, there is no kruwingan, the waves when they exist are unharmonious and ugly, the wadidang is almost straight.

Remembering the keris I have seen that were reputed to come from Sumbawa, these indicators would in general fit.

The dress that these keris wore was of a general Bugis style.

I consider a keris to be a Sumbawa keris if the blade was actually made in Sumbawa and the dress is of the type usually worn in Sumbawa.

A number of keris have been shown in this thread and identified as being from Sumbawa.

Can anybody who has already shown these keris with a Sumbawa attribution substantiate that origin of Sumbawa?

7th June 2009, 06:48 AM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	A Sumbawa keris kalawija A keris from Sumbawa. The silver fittings with the twisted wire works are typical of the region, but not too gaudy. The hilt too, has motifs quite distinct from the Riau or Sulawesi Bugis. 15-waved blade, which seemed quite common in Sumbawa. Tough blade, with pretty tight adeg like forging lines. Attached Images

8th June 2009, 08:39 AM	#6
sipakatuo Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 59	Another Lamba 15 from Sumbawa Pangulu : Duyung / Sea Ivory Kili-kili : Silver Wanua : Kemuning Pamorro : Ure Tuo Attached Images

28th September 2009, 10:46 PM	#9
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,249	Thank you Sajen. It is of much less quality then the beautiful keris of Blu Erf and Sipakatuo, but this porous iron is typical for "lower end" Sumbawa keris, thats why I posted it. I also apologise for the very poor quality of pictures. The keris is also not stained, so even the low contrast pamor of this blade isn't visible in the pictures. Some pictures of similar Sumbawa blades. These keris are not mine, so only detail pictures. Attached Images

7th June 2009, 09:14 PM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,124	Thanks Kai Wee. A beautiful and elegant keris.

8th June 2009, 02:41 AM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	A very nice blade in a good sarung. sajen

8th June 2009, 07:17 AM	#5
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 371	Very sophisticated indeed Kai Wee, thanks for showing this one. Does anyone else have examples from this island to show? David

28th September 2009, 03:21 PM	#8
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Nice keris Gustav. sajen

29th September 2009, 12:33 AM	#10
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,893	To begin I will say this:- I have never been to Sumbawa. I have not investigated Sumbawa keris in any depth. My only knowledge of the type of keris used and worn in Sumbawa comes from old photos in general travel books, and keris that I have handled that were supposedly collected from Sumbawa. I say supposedly because the people who owned these keris were not close friends and I had no way of knowing if I was being lied to or if I was being told the truth. My feeling at the time was that in all cases I was being told the truth. The type of keris that I understand to be a Sumbawa keris is one with a blade of no remarkable quality, rather inferior material with a sand-like texture, no distinct ada-ada, lacking the flat blade faces of a Bugis keris, but of a generally Bugis type appearance. Blade section is like rotan, the gandik somewhat indented to accomodate the kembang kacang. There is a tangguh that is known as "Kupang". This does not mean that the blades come from Kupang, but only that they come from far to the east of Bali. The people who searched for antiques and etc to sell to dealers in Bali used to call these keris "Kupang" in the pre-1960 period, and that is where the people in Solo picked up the terminology from, when they would visit Bali they learnt from keris people there that this type of keris was "tangguh Kupang". The characteristics of tangguh Kupang are:- heavy, sand-like texture, usually no pamor, when it occurs it is only found in large keris, the steel is thick and well heat treated, the pawakan is large and approaches that of a Bali keris, the gonjo is wide & large & ugly, if there is greneng it is crudely executed, the gandik tends to be high, there is often a janggut, the kembang kacang is small & the lambe gajah is set deeply into the gandik, the blumbangan is very shallow, sometimes it does not exist at all, a sogokan is extremely rare when it does exist it is shallow, pointed and thorn-like, an ada-ada is extremely rare, the cross section is like rotan, there is no kruwingan, the waves when they exist are unharmonious and ugly, the wadidang is almost straight. Remembering the keris I have seen that were reputed to come from Sumbawa, these indicators would in general fit. The dress that these keris wore was of a general Bugis style. I consider a keris to be a Sumbawa keris if the blade was actually made in Sumbawa and the dress is of the type usually worn in Sumbawa. A number of keris have been shown in this thread and identified as being from Sumbawa. Can anybody who has already shown these keris with a Sumbawa attribution substantiate that origin of Sumbawa?