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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 177
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Hello fellow keris enthusiasts,
I acquired this Keris. It is described as Balinese 19th century. I would be grateful for your thoughts on this one please as the dhapur is not one I have encountered before. There is no scabbard. 53.3cm |
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#2 |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,089
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Ooh, that's interesting. I'm not sure i have seen exactly this dhapur before either. In Javanese terminology it would fall into the Kebo/Mahesa group, but frankly i am uncertainly if such a designation has the same meanings in Bali as it does in Jawa. Perhaps somebody else knows.
The luk at the end is of course similar to damar murub in Javanese parlance, but again, i am not sure how such a feature is seen on Balinese blades. I wouldn't necessarily argue with the 19th century attribution. And i have to say that i am really enjoying this blade. Seems like an unusual dhapur with nicely controlled pamor and form. Wouldn't mind it at all in my own collection. ![]() |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,822
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Balinese keris with this exaggerated curl from the gonjo were supposedly worn by priests & religious scholars in Bali. This example of Sid's is a fairly mild curl, compared with some i have seen.
The gonjo on the keris shown here is a replacement, it might be legitimate, that is, it might have been placed upon the keris when the owner of the keris rose in status. However, during the 1980's & 1990's there was a very well known m'ranggi & dealer in keris who lived in Celuk, and he had had a number of keris made in Madura that were fitted with this style of gonjo. Some of the keris he had for sale were new creations, some were older keris that had been altered, all were keris of rare, unusual or inventive forms. I visited this gentleman a number of times, usually just to look at what he had, I found him far too expensive to deal with, and around 1990, maybe 1988, maybe 1992 or thereabouts, he had a large number of keris like this hanging from the fascia of a pendopo in his courtyard. Sid's posted example might be real, it might be something from Celuk of 30 years ago, I certainly cannot tell from the photos, and I might not be able to tell even if I had it in my hand. The Old Pirate was a master of his trade. |
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#4 | |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 459
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#5 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,285
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Yet the gonjo is of a smoother finish. ![]() |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 177
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Might be Lombok as I have one attributed to there that has a similar surface texture? If the intent was to deceive I dont know how the maker could have ignored the texture and pamor points as a reasonable novice would be aware of this. The smooth ganja and large size is a clear Bali feature.
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,822
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Sid, not everything is as cut & dried as we might like to believe.
This is a very unusual form of keris, no matter where it comes from. The gonjo is a replacement. Keris like this were produced to order for a Balinese dealer 30 & more years ago. I do not know if this keris was constructed for somebody in a Balinese community or somebody in the collector community Anything else that we might like to think or say about this keris is guesswork. |
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