Nice Old Sumatran Keris For Comment

[BluErf]

Originally Posted by Raja Muda

Congratulations on owning such a beautiful keris. It's always a joy to own one where you not only have a nice, intact blade but also sarung and hulu aged to perfection, with that mature reddish brown hue.
At first glance, the blade looks like the work of a Malay pandai besi, but I can't help but sense something of a Bugis sensibility to the blade, which I just can't pin down. Any ideas why anyone?

The simple answer is -- It's because there is indeed Bugis influence in the keris.

The Bugis has imprinted their mark in many parts of the archipelago, being involved in politics, war and even court intrigues. The royal families of Johore, Selangor are Bugis. The state of Perak and Kedah were occupied by or subject to political manipulations of the Bugis at some point in the 18th century. You would find that the more south (in the Malay Peninsula) one travels, the more obvious the Bugis influence.

This keris here has a certain Malayan 'grace' to it, specifically, if you look at the well-formed greneng. More curvy, one might say. Or simply -- just 'sweeter' look. Typically, the 'true-blue' Sulawesi and Riau Bugis blades are tough but with rather awkward-looking ricikans. It's the Malay sense of aesthetics which, when blended with the Bugis style of forging, creates a slightly different class of keris blades.