Bugis Sheath Info Requested

[Sajen]

Yes, you are correct, it's not the original scabbard for the blade.

[David]

We often see keris fitted to a sheath that is not originally made for it. It is both common and acceptable. However, given the great gap in the fit here i have my doubts that this was anything that was done in culture for traditional use. Generally if that much of a gap was left after fitting a keris to an unrelated sheath it would be filled in some way to create a more acceptable fit. It seems more likely to me that the seller had a naked keris and a spare sheath and that he simply paired them for the sale. While i agree with Gustav that sheaths are not always meant to match the length of the blade, this keris appears to be a keris selit/sisip and if this is the case the sheath most definitely should match the blade length. These are small, secondary keris that are meant to be tucked into a waistband. As such they should be is much smaller dress that allows for this kind of wear.
The best solution would, of course, be to have a new sheath created for this keris, but i understand all too well how that is not really possible for collectors that live far outside the culture. My suggestion in this case would be that you don't alter the sheath length. If you were to replace the buntut i would chose the ivory material you have if you really want to match the hilt. You might consider trying to fill the space in the gap for a better blade fit. You could shape a wooden piece for that purpose. In some cases shellac has been used.

[Sajen]

Hello Rob,

Here are two pics from a Malay keris where the scabbard isn't original to the blade and someone, I guess in Malaysia, filled the gap with resin or like David said with shellac.

Regards,
Detlef

[RobT]

David,
Thanks for your input. I agree with you and Sajen. There is no doubt that the sheath isn’t original to the blade. I’m just thankful that the style of the sheath is appropriate to the style of the hilt.
I’m not too sure about this selit/sisip thing. In the example you show, the hilt and wranka of the smaller blade are noticeably smaller than those components on the full size keris. My hilt, when the blade is sheathed, looks proportionately correct for the wranka. Also, I eyeballed my selut against a number of Garuda hilted keris I have and it looks like it is large enough to fit them. In addition to this, I had to reseat the hilt because it was loose. The tang hole in the selut is certainly large enough for a full size keris, So, if the blade is for a selit/sisip, it was fitted with a full size hilt.
Even though I think the sheath is fairly new, I was not at all keen about modifying it by shortening the gandar and since everybody (you included) that has commented on this has recommended against it, I will follow this good advice. Since I am not cutting down the gandar, there is no reason to replace the buntut. I think that, the more things that can be left as original, the better so I will just repair the damage to the existing buntut.
The only other change I will make is to widen the sheath throat a hair so the blade seats properly and doesn’t wobble.

Sajen,
Thanks for the example. I could fairly easily fit a piece of wood to fill the gap on the dagu side of the blade. I don’t think I could match the tiger figure of the wood on my sheath but I’m pretty sure my efforts would look a bit better than the example you show. Do you think it would be acceptable to fit a contrasting material in that area (eg a piece of ebony or ivory)?

Sincerely,
RobT

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by RobT

Thanks for the example. I could fairly easily fit a piece of wood to fill the gap on the dagu side of the blade. I don’t think I could match the tiger figure of the wood on my sheath but I’m pretty sure my efforts would look a bit better than the example you show. Do you think it would be acceptable to fit a contrasting material in that area (eg a piece of ebony or ivory)?

Hi Rob,

Yes, that's a job which can be done much better, just want to show how such a gap is filled up by some locals.
I have had a repair done by a professional restorer here in Germany which is hardly visible, I tried to make pics of these but I need daylight for these pictures, I'll take them tomorrow and post them here.
I wouldn't use such contrasting materials for such a repair/restoration, I personally would look for wood with a similar colour.

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

Rob, my keris experience is very considerable where Jawa & Bali are concerned, it stretches over more than 60 years & is ongoing, however my field experience with Malaysia & other parts of Indonesia is very limited.

In Jawa & Bali the keris is a required part of formal dress, in both of these places it is not at all unusual for a small blade to be fitted to, or accommodated in, a full size scabbard. Nobody knows what the blade looks like when the keris is worn as an item of dress.

Perhaps a similar approach to the wearing of a keris as an item of dress might apply in places other than just Jawa & Bali.

[A. G. Maisey]

Here is an example of a small Surakarta Pasupati fitted to a normal size Surakarta ladrangan wrongko.

Perfect for dress purposes, and nobody knows what the blade is like.

Sorry for the sub-standard foto, pressed for time.