Ivory handle Javanese Keris with silver covered scabbard

A. G. Maisey · 7th January 2019, 08:06 PM

A blade such as this is not normally made by forging the waves into it, it is the product of stock removal. An oversize bakalan is produced by the smith, which is then handed to a carver to produce the waves and other features.

If we look carefully at the photos, which admittedly have not been taken in a way that makes metal grain easy to see, we can see what I take to a straight grain running the length of the blade. In a blade that has had the waves forged into it the metal grain follows the wave form.

The number of waves makes this blade an anomaly for Jawa. The cold work (ie, carving) is neat enough, but I am unable to pass any worthwhile comment on this blade, it is too far outside any of the parameters with which I am familiar.

The hilt is nicely carved, but again, the details bear no resemblance to what we expect to see in Javanese work.

The wrongko is badly damaged and from a photograph I am unable to comment.

The pendok looks very much like Kota Gede work --- I am not saying it was necessarily made in Kota Gede, but motif and execution is typical of Kota Gede. I think probably pre-1970, even back to late colonial era might not be too far a stretch.

As an example of a keris variant, perfectly collectable, but rather difficult to accept as a true keris.

If I look closely at the details of this complete keris, especially the transition from selut to gonjo, I am inclined to think this item could be the result of a Peninsula or even Singapore commercial effort, not recent by any means, but equally not produced "in culture".

7th January 2019, 08:06 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	A blade such as this is not normally made by forging the waves into it, it is the product of stock removal. An oversize bakalan is produced by the smith, which is then handed to a carver to produce the waves and other features. If we look carefully at the photos, which admittedly have not been taken in a way that makes metal grain easy to see, we can see what I take to a straight grain running the length of the blade. In a blade that has had the waves forged into it the metal grain follows the wave form. The number of waves makes this blade an anomaly for Jawa. The cold work (ie, carving) is neat enough, but I am unable to pass any worthwhile comment on this blade, it is too far outside any of the parameters with which I am familiar. The hilt is nicely carved, but again, the details bear no resemblance to what we expect to see in Javanese work. The wrongko is badly damaged and from a photograph I am unable to comment. The pendok looks very much like Kota Gede work --- I am not saying it was necessarily made in Kota Gede, but motif and execution is typical of Kota Gede. I think probably pre-1970, even back to late colonial era might not be too far a stretch. As an example of a keris variant, perfectly collectable, but rather difficult to accept as a true keris. If I look closely at the details of this complete keris, especially the transition from selut to gonjo, I am inclined to think this item could be the result of a Peninsula or even Singapore commercial effort, not recent by any means, but equally not produced "in culture".