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22nd May 2011, 03:43 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Dortmund, Germany
Posts: 102
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A Keris for slashing...
I just received this keris with rather unusual (or at least unusual for me) fittings. The hilt has been elongated with a piece, so that it can be gripped like a sword sabre.
Blade length is 36cm (14.2'') and build rather robust compared to most other keris i have handled (which actually doesn't mean much ). Unfortunately, it looks like someone couldn't resist the urge to slash at something an damaged the blade. Despite those nasty breakouts and some surface-rust the blade is in a remarkably good condition. I bought it from a descendant of a german noble family. The seller rediscovered it 20 years ago in a closet at the family homestead and (until i told him that it is a keris) assumed it was a custom made short sword for one of his ancestors. Good thing about nobility is that they tend to keep track of their ancestors, so it was rather easy to find out that one of his ancestors held a command at Batavia in the first half of 19th century. Descendants of this officer lived (or maybe still live) in Padang. With any luck this could be a 19th century blade that still has its original fittings. Comments are welcome. Especially on the "mendak" thing Best Regards, Thilo Best Regards |
22nd May 2011, 04:25 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,761
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Hello Thilo,
really funny ensemble you got there. Keris and sheath seems to be from Peninsula with refitted hilt somewhere in Indonesia, most proable Java since it is a javanese hilt from Central Java. When you want to restore it you need to carve a new buntut for the sheath and infix a adequate piece of wood under the crosspiece. A fitting handle and pendokok would be necessary as well.... A lot of work for a demaged blade IMHO. Others with a lot more knowledge will tell you more. Regards, Detlef |
22nd May 2011, 04:28 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,761
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I think that the keris have to look like one of the shown examples in this thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11474 |
22nd May 2011, 04:52 PM | #4 |
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Dortmund, Germany
Posts: 102
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Hello Detlef,
Thank you for your comments and the restoration advice. I don't plan to completely remodel this keris. IMHO this would strip the individual character that made me buy it in the first place. Somehow i like those partially broken or imperfect pieces. My plan was to clean the blade but leave the overall ensemble untouched. Well... maybe i will try to carve a replacement buntut to make it a little more "displayable". Best Regards, Thilo |
22nd May 2011, 05:51 PM | #5 | |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,113
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Quote:
You could go a long way in improving the appearance of this piece simply by removing the odd piece between the hilt and the blade and turning the hilt around to the opposite orientation. Interesting blade that has a few uncommon features on it such as the "squared" off front edge of the gandik and the triangular shape of the sogokan. |
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22nd May 2011, 07:29 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,246
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I would probably leave it as it is. There are some such utilized/adjusted keris blades in Europa, and this is by far not the strangest combo.
The main problem is, when this piece between hilt and blade was added, the sides of gonjo and protruding parts of sorsoran were filed down to fit it with this joint-piece, so the blade is flat now. If you will try to get it in it's "original" state again (without this joint piece, proper hilt, pendokok), you will end with a strange, mutilated blade. Now we see, WHY it is mutilated, we have a historical context, and this is the most valuable thing regarding this blade. Last edited by Gustav; 22nd May 2011 at 10:49 PM. |
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