Keris Hilt Material

A. G. Maisey · 19th May 2008, 11:19 PM

I've got a number of keris with Bugis style hilts that look like they have the same material as this one. I've always thought it was elephant ivory. I just went and had a look at them under magnification , and there is a distinct grain, and some superficial cracking as we could expect with elephant ivory. I'm not taking a position and saying this definitely is elephant ivory, but it sure looks like it to me, and I have some difficulty in imagining what other source could provide material of sufficient size and shape to allow this style of hilt to be produced.

19th May 2008, 11:19 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	I've got a number of keris with Bugis style hilts that look like they have the same material as this one. I've always thought it was elephant ivory. I just went and had a look at them under magnification , and there is a distinct grain, and some superficial cracking as we could expect with elephant ivory. I'm not taking a position and saying this definitely is elephant ivory, but it sure looks like it to me, and I have some difficulty in imagining what other source could provide material of sufficient size and shape to allow this style of hilt to be produced.