Help identify this kris

David · 28th November 2021, 02:39 AM

Your dad lived in Solo, but this keris is from Bali. The sheath is an old form of what many collectors have come to call "dance" sheaths. These are generally associated with Balinese tourist keris which often have blades that are made from a piece of sheet steel and ornamented with fake pamor patterns that are batiked onto the surface of the blades. But your keris appears to be a real pattern welded blade. Previous to making fake keris for souvenir keris, old worn out blades were sometimes used. Tourists wanted to take home keris they saw used in the Barong dances so people dancers might provide ones they no longer wanted. Occasionally though, you will find a fairly nice old keris in this form of dress because a bare blade needed a home and this was what was available at the time and on the budget.
We could probably tell you more about your keris and which of the above options your keris might be, however you left a good and rather important portion of the blade still covered by the top sheath of the scabbard. If it is stuck that way that is not the way it is supposed to be and you should gently try to remove the blade from this top part of the sheath. Once we can see the base of the blade more information can be gleaned.

28th November 2021, 02:39 AM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,218	Your dad lived in Solo, but this keris is from Bali. The sheath is an old form of what many collectors have come to call "dance" sheaths. These are generally associated with Balinese tourist keris which often have blades that are made from a piece of sheet steel and ornamented with fake pamor patterns that are batiked onto the surface of the blades. But your keris appears to be a real pattern welded blade. Previous to making fake keris for souvenir keris, old worn out blades were sometimes used. Tourists wanted to take home keris they saw used in the Barong dances so people dancers might provide ones they no longer wanted. Occasionally though, you will find a fairly nice old keris in this form of dress because a bare blade needed a home and this was what was available at the time and on the budget. We could probably tell you more about your keris and which of the above options your keris might be, however you left a good and rather important portion of the blade still covered by the top sheath of the scabbard. If it is stuck that way that is not the way it is supposed to be and you should gently try to remove the blade from this top part of the sheath. Once we can see the base of the blade more information can be gleaned.