KERIS BLADE

[ferrylaki]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Here now the stained blade with a refitted old sarung, not a solution for aeons but for the moment the blade have a house.
Is someone able to name the pamor?

Regards,

Detlef

I would say this keris has "kulit semongko" pamor.
you have a good taste in "sandangan".
I'm wondering if you also has jogja sandangan in your inventory.
here at my place, we would dress this keris in jogjakarta dress.
that's from my point of view though.
the style of the blade seem to be aroud jogjakarta.
but it all the matter of taste and personal judgement.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by ferrylaki

I would say this keris has "kulit semongko" pamor.
you have a good taste in "sandangan".
I'm wondering if you also has jogja sandangan in your inventory.
here at my place, we would dress this keris in jogjakarta dress.
that's from my point of view though.
the style of the blade seem to be aroud jogjakarta.
but it all the matter of taste and personal judgement.

Thank you Ferry,

but I choose this sarung with the help of an indonesian friend after the advise from Alan (see post 9). The blade is big and heavy so it seems in my eyes very plausible that it is a Solo blade.

Thank you again and regards,

Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

This keris possesses a number of features which permit the classification of Surakarta. The primary indicators in this case are the ron dha and the strong ada-ada.

The posted images, from the top, show ron dha from a tombak that is attributed to Empu Jayasukadgo, a keris made by Pandai Keris Yantono, and a drawing, by Empu Suparman, of the classic Surakarta ron dha.

Also shown is a drawing by Djeno Harumbrojo of his interpretation of the Yogyakarta ron dha.

The classic HB (Yogya) keris style broadly follows the Mataram form, and the classic Yogyakarta ron dha also echoes this form.

That, at least, is what I have been taught. Others may hold different opinions, and when all is said and done, this identification of blade origin is based upon opinion.

[Sajen]

Here a close up of the ron dha of my blade for comparison.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Detlef, but in fact your couple of shots in post one give a more clear impression of the critical area than do these close ups.The close ups are bigger, but the shots have been taken at an angle to the ron dha itself.

If you have a copy of "Keris Jawa", there are a number of examples of the ron dha interpretation of various makers shown in that.

Any ron dha can vary within its classification and even from time to time by the same maker, however, what is important from the perspective of establishing a supportable tangguh is that the overall form of the tangguh cannot be attributed to a classification other than the one proposed.

In my opinion, the overall form of the ron dha on your keris cannot be aligned to any of the other major classifications.

If the form of the HB keris is a latter day echo of the Mataram keris form, the blumbangan should be square; in the photos you have provided of your keris, the blumbangan appears to me to be elongated, like a brick standing on its end (boto adeg). It is possible that this effect could be caused by the angle at which the photo was taken, and very often, in blades that are less than premium, it is a little difficult to decide if the blumbangan is square or boto adeg.

The boto adeg blumbangan is a primary identifier of a Surakarta keris.

The overall visual impression (pawakan) of this keris is of a robust, forceful, strong keris, it does lack the defined chest and back of the classic Surakarta form, but as I have said, this is not a premium quality keris, it is a keris of the common man. But it is a strong, brave keris. The typical low to medium quality Yogya keris does not present this forceful, aggressive persona.

It is always possible that if I had this keris in my hand I could change my mind, but based upon what I believe I can see in these photos, it is simply not possible for me to support any classification other Surakarta, however, most definitely not Surakarta of premium quality.

[Sajen]

Thank you again Alan,

hope and think that your further explanations will help me and others get a deeper understanding of the attribution of keris blades.

Regards,

Detlef