Some more objects from the RDG - Keris, kaskara (?) and spears

RDGAC · 14th May 2010, 04:42 PM

Howdy all; while still patiently working on our jezail (many thanks to Ward and Jim for their excellent insights, along with anyone else I've missed - d'oh!), I've begun to wonder about some of the other ethnographic arms in our collection. Most were captured from then-enemy forces at various points during the 19th century and have been in the possession of the Regiment, and latterly the Museum, for many years, with virtually no documentation to their name. Since I've made it my policy to take periodic breaks from transferring the accession registers to our new system (boring but important) for the sake of my own sanity, I thought I might as well enquire with you folks and get any information you might have. And as a side benefit, some of you might even come and visit - who knows?

We begin with this, which I believe is a Malay keris (or kris - which is better?), presented by Field Marshal Sir Nigel Bagnall and accessioned in 1987. It is simply recorded as "Dagger Indonesian Ceremonial", with no elaboration. Without further ado, the pics!

Length overall (weapon in scabbard): 26in (66cm)
Length weapon overall: 21.75in (55cm)
Length blade: 16in (40.6cm)
Length grip: 5.25in (12.7cm)
Length scabbard overall: 20.25in (51.5cm)
Width at widest point: 3.75in (9.5cm)
Width 0.25in from tip: ~0.5in (1.27cm)
Grip material: Silver, with crimson gemstones (rubies?) at base of grip
Scabbard max width: ~7.25in

An overview of the flat of the weapon's right-hand side (I think):
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7180/img0352yk.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4650/img0353dz.jpg

Same side, grip/pommel:
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/3721/img0355b.jpg

Same side blade:
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2351/img0356jx.jpg

Close-ups of the joint between blade and grip:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4954/img0357um.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6297/img0358n.jpg

Blade, left-hand side:
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4245/img0359p.jpg

(At this point, I should like to stress that none of the staff here at present are responsible for painting that number on the blade. I'd dearly love to remove it.)

Blade, right-hand side, flash highlighting the carving near the base of the blade:
http://img210.imageshack.us/i/img0360gi.jpg/

Scabbard, right-hand side:
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9315/img0361qp.jpg

Close-ups, decoration, base and tip:
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9777/img0362wt.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8923/img0363v.jpg

Overall, with 45cm (18in) ruler for size comparison:
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1144/img0364m.jpg
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/9576/img0365m.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3047/img0366kv.jpg

Top down, attempting to give a view within scabbard:
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/787/img0367v.jpg
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9114/img0368c.jpg

Overall of both weapon and scabbard, with ruler:
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1919/img0369fn.jpg

Overall, weapon in scabbard, with ruler:
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/255/img0370gl.jpg

Close-up, showing degree of blade protrusion from base of scabbard:
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9101/img0371wf.jpg

14th May 2010, 04:42 PM	#1
RDGAC Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: York, UK Posts: 167	Some more objects from the RDG - Keris, kaskara (?) and spears Howdy all; while still patiently working on our jezail (many thanks to Ward and Jim for their excellent insights, along with anyone else I've missed - d'oh!), I've begun to wonder about some of the other ethnographic arms in our collection. Most were captured from then-enemy forces at various points during the 19th century and have been in the possession of the Regiment, and latterly the Museum, for many years, with virtually no documentation to their name. Since I've made it my policy to take periodic breaks from transferring the accession registers to our new system (boring but important) for the sake of my own sanity, I thought I might as well enquire with you folks and get any information you might have. And as a side benefit, some of you might even come and visit - who knows? We begin with this, which I believe is a Malay keris (or kris - which is better?), presented by Field Marshal Sir Nigel Bagnall and accessioned in 1987. It is simply recorded as "Dagger Indonesian Ceremonial", with no elaboration. Without further ado, the pics! Length overall (weapon in scabbard): 26in (66cm) Length weapon overall: 21.75in (55cm) Length blade: 16in (40.6cm) Length grip: 5.25in (12.7cm) Length scabbard overall: 20.25in (51.5cm) Width at widest point: 3.75in (9.5cm) Width 0.25in from tip: ~0.5in (1.27cm) Grip material: Silver, with crimson gemstones (rubies?) at base of grip Scabbard max width: ~7.25in An overview of the flat of the weapon's right-hand side (I think): http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7180/img0352yk.jpg http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4650/img0353dz.jpg Same side, grip/pommel: http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/3721/img0355b.jpg Same side blade: http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2351/img0356jx.jpg Close-ups of the joint between blade and grip: http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4954/img0357um.jpg http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6297/img0358n.jpg Blade, left-hand side: http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4245/img0359p.jpg (At this point, I should like to stress that none of the staff here at present are responsible for painting that number on the blade. I'd dearly love to remove it.) Blade, right-hand side, flash highlighting the carving near the base of the blade: http://img210.imageshack.us/i/img0360gi.jpg/ Scabbard, right-hand side: http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9315/img0361qp.jpg Close-ups, decoration, base and tip: http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9777/img0362wt.jpg http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8923/img0363v.jpg Overall, with 45cm (18in) ruler for size comparison: http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1144/img0364m.jpg http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/9576/img0365m.jpg http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3047/img0366kv.jpg Top down, attempting to give a view within scabbard: http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/787/img0367v.jpg http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9114/img0368c.jpg Overall of both weapon and scabbard, with ruler: http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1919/img0369fn.jpg Overall, weapon in scabbard, with ruler: http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/255/img0370gl.jpg Close-up, showing degree of blade protrusion from base of scabbard: http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9101/img0371wf.jpg