Keris for comments

[Henk]

Originally Posted by David

You will have to explain this a bit further for me Henk because i was completely unaware that in Holland you do not differentiate between keris Panjang, Anak Alang and Bahari. They do all have a similar profile/dhapur, but vary in size. And while there is certainly often debate which category the blade might be when the length falls into the gray zones, keris bahari are usually not confused with panjang or called "executioner keris". As far as i know only the longer keris panjang are the ones that are sometimes referred to as "executioner keris", though i find that name somewhat misleading since i do not believe that execution was the main purpose for this kind of keris. It was more a blade of status AFAIK. Though i had always thought that it was the extra length of these keris panjang that made them suitable to perform execution with the "bloodless" method through the collar bone area. I am not convinced that a 13" blade would be appropriate or effective for that action.

David,

DAHenkel explained it already in his answer.
You would be surprised in how many houses here in Holland a keris or two is hanging on the wall while the owner has no idea of specific categories or names. It is just a piece of art from our history. Nothing more nothing less.

A few years ago a colleague asked me, you collect that stuff, don't you? I have a keris somewhere my father brought home when he serves as a marine in Indonesia. I will bring it for you, maybe you like it. He brought a very nice maduran keris an gave it to me. His brother has a dagger from his father. That dagger was a rencong.

And also collectors who like to hang some swords and daggers on the wall, who have no idea in detail what they have in their collection.

The differences we use here in the forum and the knowledge present here is great. The dutch collectors who participate on this forum and also some important collectors who don't participate on this forum are very aware of these specifications.

But most Dutch will call a Keris Bugis or Keris Palembang just a keris from Sumatra. If you can classify a keris in keris Java, Madura, Bali or Sumatra it is often said, he has knowledge about these things.