My first keris

Mick · 4th February 2007, 09:56 PM

Everything about your keris says Palembang. The ukrin and its selut, the wrangka, and the blade are all Palembang style. You even have the remnants of original Palembang gold work on the ganja and the gandik. Palembang gold work was not installed as well as the Javanese work. The Javanese worked the steel in high relief to the design required and placed large cuts in the surface of this relief. The gold was then hammered on top of these surfaces so that it was forced into these cuts and then carved to the final design. The steel in Palembang was not done in such high relief and the gold was placed over the top of the areas as a cap hammered down and then carved to the final design. This allowed the gold to be removed in larger pieces than either the Javanese or the Balinese work and this is what happened to the gold on your keris. You can see the remnants of the work in the light engraving of the ganja and the gandik as well as small pieces of the gold sticking out of the cracks at the base of both of these features where the cap was fastened.

Except for a Palembang pendok, if you want to see the attributes of a Palembang keris, just hold your keris in your hand. Extremely good work for a beginner.

BluErf · 5th February 2007, 12:38 AM

More Palembang kerises for your reference.

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php
(This one has a slightly unusual sheath.)

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php
(This small little guy is probably from the fringes of Palembang sphere of influence. The sheath form is a lot more exaggerated.)

And this is probably from somewhere near Palembang.
http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

BluErf · 5th February 2007, 12:43 AM

Hi Mick,

When you said large cuts, did you mean like in the pictures below? It appears that some Palembang kerises may have gold work done in a fashion similar to the Javanese.

Ferguson · 5th February 2007, 02:38 AM

Gentlemen,
Thank you for all of your help!

Steve

Mick · 5th February 2007, 04:15 PM

You are right BluErf. That looks like Javanese work. I believe the forum has established that there is some crossover between Javanese work and Sumatran work in the Palembang area.

5th February 2007, 12:43 AM	#3
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Hi Mick, When you said large cuts, did you mean like in the pictures below? It appears that some Palembang kerises may have gold work done in a fashion similar to the Javanese. Attached Images

4th February 2007, 09:56 PM	#1
Mick Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 104	Everything about your keris says Palembang. The ukrin and its selut, the wrangka, and the blade are all Palembang style. You even have the remnants of original Palembang gold work on the ganja and the gandik. Palembang gold work was not installed as well as the Javanese work. The Javanese worked the steel in high relief to the design required and placed large cuts in the surface of this relief. The gold was then hammered on top of these surfaces so that it was forced into these cuts and then carved to the final design. The steel in Palembang was not done in such high relief and the gold was placed over the top of the areas as a cap hammered down and then carved to the final design. This allowed the gold to be removed in larger pieces than either the Javanese or the Balinese work and this is what happened to the gold on your keris. You can see the remnants of the work in the light engraving of the ganja and the gandik as well as small pieces of the gold sticking out of the cracks at the base of both of these features where the cap was fastened. Except for a Palembang pendok, if you want to see the attributes of a Palembang keris, just hold your keris in your hand. Extremely good work for a beginner.

5th February 2007, 12:38 AM	#2
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	More Palembang kerises for your reference. http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php (This one has a slightly unusual sheath.) http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php (This small little guy is probably from the fringes of Palembang sphere of influence. The sheath form is a lot more exaggerated.) And this is probably from somewhere near Palembang. http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

5th February 2007, 02:38 AM	#4
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Gentlemen, Thank you for all of your help! Steve

5th February 2007, 04:15 PM	#5
Mick Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 104	You are right BluErf. That looks like Javanese work. I believe the forum has established that there is some crossover between Javanese work and Sumatran work in the Palembang area.