An interesting Bali keris for sharing

[HughChen]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I don't think that it's elephant ivory but not certain about the material. I would need to handle it.

Regards,
Detlef

Thank you Sajen. I think it's deer antler. But I cannot ID if it's sambar antlers or American moose antlers.

[David]

Originally Posted by HughChen

Thank you Sajen. I think it's deer antler. But I cannot ID if it's sambar antlers or American moose antlers.

For me it does not have the appearance of moose antler, which has become a popular carving material in Bali in recent years. Frankly it looks more like bone to me, but i would have to see sharper, more detailed photos to be sure. But it appears to have some porous areas that could indicate bone.

[HughChen]

Originally Posted by David

For me it does not have the appearance of moose antler, which has become a popular carving material in Bali in recent years. Frankly it looks more like bone to me, but i would have to see sharper, more detailed photos to be sure. But it appears to have some porous areas that could indicate bone.

Thank you David! Here are some detailed photos. Since it's quite impossible to identify the age of this Keris through it's blade, I think maybe the estimate work can start with the hilt. Maybe the material of hilt can give a hint to the age of this Balinese Keris which was asserted by the former owner that it's more than 200 even300 hundred years old.

we can find porous areas in his left arm , four holes in the back of his head. But the porous areas are not evenly distributed, but concentrated in the center, which indicated antlers I believe.

since the moose came from north part of the world, if the material is moose, then the hilt may not be too old!

[David]

Originally Posted by HughChen

Since it's quite impossible to identify the age of this Keris through it's blade, I think maybe the estimate work can start with the hilt. Maybe the material of hilt can give a hint to the age of this Balinese Keris which was asserted by the former owner that it's more than 200 even300 hundred years old.

we can find porous areas in his left arm , four holes in the back of his head. But the porous areas are not evenly distributed, but concentrated in the center, which indicated antlers I believe.

since the moose came from north part of the world, if the material is moose, then the hilt may not be too old!

Thanks for the better photos. If nothing else they do seem to rule out ivory as the material.
I am afraid that an estimate of the age of the hilt is no help whatsoever in determining the age of the blade. Hilts come and go and there is no telling when this ensemble came together. That said i doubt the hilt is much older than a century. From what i can see i would still say it is probably bone. If the hilt could be removed from the blade and photographed from the bottom we might have a more definitive answer.
Obviously we cannot judge the exact age of a blade, but i doubt yours is as old as 300 years. This blade seems most likely top fall somewhere into the 19th century.

[HughChen]

Originally Posted by David

Thanks for the better photos. If nothing else they do seem to rule out ivory as the material.
I am afraid that an estimate of the age of the hilt is no help whatsoever in determining the age of the blade. Hilts come and go and there is no telling when this ensemble came together. That said i doubt the hilt is much older than a century. From what i can see i would still say it is probably bone. If the hilt could be removed from the blade and photographed from the bottom we might have a more definitive answer.
Obviously we cannot judge the exact age of a blade, but i doubt yours is as old as 300 years. This blade seems most likely top fall somewhere into the 19th century.

Thank you David, it seems that the hilt is glued to the blade. And my friend told me that he kept it for 30 years and the hilt has never been removed.