Unusual balinese warangka.

[A. G. Maisey]

Actually, polished blades were the norm in times past.

Javanese blades were polished, just as we're accustomed to seeing Balinese blades polished now. The textured finish that is now the norm for Javanese blades is a pretty recent thing --- put that recent into context, say within a couple of hundred years, maybe less.

I've handled Javanese keris brought out of Jawa pre 1700, I've handled keris kept in storage in the Surakarta Karaton, I have Javanese keris in my own collection that came to me from Holland. All have smooth polished surfaces. I think this textured surface that we are used to seeing is just a product of human laziness:- it is easier to clean off rust with acid than with elbow grease.

However, that said, "East Jawa" is not just one homogeneous single entity.

In the west of East Jawa we have the Madiun area, and that tends towards Jawa Tengah in culture and style, reason being that it used to fall under the control of Mataram.

Go to the far east of Jawa Timur, across to the Banyuwangi area, and Jawa style is mixed with Bali style, cross over the Bali Strait into West Bali, and Jawa style & culture is mixed with Bali style & culture.

Come back to the centre of East Jawa, around Surabaya/Malang/Jember, and all through here there is a goodly touch of Madura.

We cannot generalise and think of just "East Jawa", nor can we generalise in terms of time and think that what applies now has always applied.