Bali keris ?

KLUNGKLUNG · 8th May 2014, 12:18 PM

Additional pics....

Sajen · 8th May 2014, 01:43 PM

Hello,

I would guess also Bali or Lombok for this blade, but not sure.

Regards,
Detlef

GIO · 8th May 2014, 02:07 PM

Java North coast ?

David · 8th May 2014, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIO

Java North coast ?

Gio, do you mean the blade or the mendak?

A. G. Maisey · 9th May 2014, 06:38 AM

I'm not prepared to offer any opinion on point of origin on the basis of the photo, but I will remark that it is more than a little unusual to find pamor work of this nature in a Balinese blade, particularly an older Balinese blade.

Yes, the blade does have a polished surface, but so did Javanese blades in the distant past. If this keris came into Europe a long time ago it might well be Javanese.

The pamor work is very, very refined work, its the quality I expect to see in one of the better Madura blades of the current era.

Possibly this keris requires more than a cursory examination before we can attempt to fix point of origin.

David · 9th May 2014, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I'm not prepared to offer any opinion on point of origin on the basis of the photo, but I will remark that it is more than a little unusual to find pamor work of this nature in a Balinese blade, particularly an older Balinese blade.

Yes, the blade does have a polished surface, but so did Javanese blades in the distant past. If this keris came into Europe a long time ago it might well be Javanese.

I suppose that is why i was leaning towards Lombok. I have an old tangkis blade which i also believe is from Lombok (i believe you looked at photos of it once and also thought so), though admittedly the pamor work isn't quite this fine and complex. I also have another Bali/Lombok blade that is somewhat similar in dhapur and over all appearance to this one. So putting the two together, Lombok seemed very possible for me.

A. G. Maisey · 9th May 2014, 05:44 PM

Yes, if --- and I do mean "if" --- this blade has Balinese connections, it is certainly more likely to be Lombok than Island of Bali, but I just can't get past that pamor work. I'd need to handle it before I'd be game enough to give an opinion.

Just recently I was looking at a number of fairly ordinary keris that were collected in the last half of the 19th century , direct from old Malaya, Sumatera, Jawa. Very few, if any of these keris have the heavily textured surface that we have come to expect from Jawa and other keris, most would have presented a surface not dissimilar to a Bali blade if they were given a sympathetic clean and stain.

I myself have a few old Javanese blades that went to Holland pre-1800. All these keris have the polished surface that we're used to seeing on Bali blades.

GIO · 11th May 2014, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Gio, do you mean the blade or the mendak?

Apologize for the late answer, David.
I intended to mean both the blade and the mendak, but mine was only an hypothesis, after excluding other options.

David · 8th May 2014, 02:06 PM

I also agree that is not a Javanese blade and would place it either in Bali or Lombok. I'm leaning toward Lombak.
Pretty cool tangkis blade (a different pamor on each side).
That is also an interesting mendak. Not sure about Sumatran. I think it might more likely be of Maduran or Northern Javanese.

8th May 2014, 12:18 PM	#1
KLUNGKLUNG Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 24	Additional pics.... Attached Images

8th May 2014, 01:43 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,207	Hello, I would guess also Bali or Lombok for this blade, but not sure. Regards, Detlef

8th May 2014, 02:07 PM	#3
GIO Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 329	Java North coast ?

9th May 2014, 06:38 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	I'm not prepared to offer any opinion on point of origin on the basis of the photo, but I will remark that it is more than a little unusual to find pamor work of this nature in a Balinese blade, particularly an older Balinese blade. Yes, the blade does have a polished surface, but so did Javanese blades in the distant past. If this keris came into Europe a long time ago it might well be Javanese. The pamor work is very, very refined work, its the quality I expect to see in one of the better Madura blades of the current era. Possibly this keris requires more than a cursory examination before we can attempt to fix point of origin.

9th May 2014, 05:44 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Yes, if --- and I do mean "if" --- this blade has Balinese connections, it is certainly more likely to be Lombok than Island of Bali, but I just can't get past that pamor work. I'd need to handle it before I'd be game enough to give an opinion. Just recently I was looking at a number of fairly ordinary keris that were collected in the last half of the 19th century , direct from old Malaya, Sumatera, Jawa. Very few, if any of these keris have the heavily textured surface that we have come to expect from Jawa and other keris, most would have presented a surface not dissimilar to a Bali blade if they were given a sympathetic clean and stain. I myself have a few old Javanese blades that went to Holland pre-1800. All these keris have the polished surface that we're used to seeing on Bali blades.

8th May 2014, 02:06 PM	#9
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,218	I also agree that is not a Javanese blade and would place it either in Bali or Lombok. I'm leaning toward Lombak. Pretty cool tangkis blade (a different pamor on each side). That is also an interesting mendak. Not sure about Sumatran. I think it might more likely be of Maduran or Northern Javanese.