Bali Keris

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you for your compliment Gustav, however, my comment should not be understood as an answer. Answers follow questions, & no question has been asked.

You have stated your opinion, I have stated my opinion.

Your opinion is based upon your experience, my opinion is based upon my experience.

I doubt that it is possible for me to transfer my experience to other people, and to be honest, I'm not all that interested in attempting to do so.

You & others may accept my opinion, or reject it, there is no loss, & no gain for me, either way.

To be clear, my opinion cannot be regarded as a some sort of thesis that needs to be defended, & that I want people to believe, this opinion represents what I know to be fact, that element of fact is based upon an involvement of more than 70 years of experience in this field, that includes well over 100 visits to Bali during a period of 58 years, and entails all of the personal contacts and trade & academic information that I have garnered.

If you do not wish to accept my opinion, then please just disregard it.

Perhaps the attached photos might be of interest.

The photos are of the hilt & pendok of a Balinese keris that I have had in my possession since about 1956, it was one of the first keris that I acquired after leaving school. I bought it from a Dutchman who had been living in Bali and who came to Australia very shortly before the Japanese invaded & occupied Bali in 1942. I have forgotten all the details of purchase, but my memory is that this man had been born in what is now Indonesia and he had farmed in East Jawa before moving to Bali some time during the 1930's. When he came to Australia he opened a restaurant & he had the keris that this hilt & pendok belong to, hanging on the wall.

Incidentally, the correct term for a Balinese pendok is "kandelan", correct term for a Balinese hilt is "danganan".