Is it Raja Gundala?

[David]

Thanks Alan, for this post on language as applied to the keris. It is really a facinating subject. I tend to agree with you that English, when possible, is a better choice in this context, though i actually prefer "hilt" to "handle".
Still, i am interested in learning traditional terminology whenever possible so i don't mind when people use such terms as long as they are willing to explain them. But there does seem to be a general "lazy" acceptance among keris collectors to default to Javanese terminology regardless of the origin of the blade. I agree that this is inappropriate.

Originally Posted by brekele

But Dave, the blade I posted is not recently maduranese creation. ( )

Perhaps, Brek, you can share with us exactly where and when you believe this blade originates. Frankly the eyes of a "superman" has very little to do with such opinions. Photographs are never a very good way to judge a keris and people can be very easily fooled by them, even Superman . Also, smiths in Madura have become quite expert not only at mimicing other styles and time periods of keris making, but have great skill at making blades look old. I am basing my suspicions on this knowledge and the feeling that this keris doesn't look quite right to me in material and finish to be from Bali or Lombok. I could very easily be wrong about this, as there are too many factors out of hand and i am simply unable to judge accurately from an internet photo. But i am sincerely interested in hearing why you are so sure my suspicions are incorrect. How old do you believe this keris is and where was it forged?

[A. G. Maisey]

Yeah, "hilt" is possibly more correct than "handle", when used in connection with an edged weapon. I guess you could probably put my preference for "handle" down to a bit of reverse snobbery.

[David]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Yeah, "hilt" is possibly more correct than "handle", when used in connection with an edged weapon. I guess you could probably put my preference for "handle" down to a bit of reverse snobbery.

[brekele]

Dave, yes of course i can share with you about where and when i believed this blade is ASLIES (ASLIES=ASLI+YES). Sorry for using my own word, because your word ORIGINATES wasn't in dictionary.

Friend of mine brought this blade by the time Lombok's coffee morning is not finish yet. The blade was dirty, first exprescion in head was stranged about this blade and then suspicion for few seconds. About 2 minits later my feeling was changed and starting to belived that the blade is old (80%).
And then someone clean that blade.
After cleaned then of course i believed the blade is old.
Dave, i looked again...from Pasikutan, i guess this blade is tangguh nom-noman
(Bali).
Also according to blade's material + feeling of my NEW KNOWLEDGE about keris.
(Finally, surely answer is came out by other keris forum in Indonesia).

Dave, i knew some of keris dealers from Madura based in my hometown Surabaya (Jawa). I hang out with them and learn.
So, I knew their blades Dave.
Many blades are good too (hi...just my taste).

BTW, Dave....honestly i like to read words of those doctors keris .
but you just broke them up
Ya, It's oke. I knew you are the bos in your own forum beside Rick.

[David]

"Originate" means place of origin; where is it from? Do you think this keris was made in Lombok, Bali, Jawa....? You say that it is "from Pasikutan", but "Pasikutan" as i understand it is a form of measurement, not a place (from the tip of the finger to the elbow), so perhaps this is just a mistake you made in translation. I don't think we can successfully apply the concept of tangguh to this blade, especially if it did not originate from Jawa. Still a nom-nomon keris would be considered by many to be a relatively recent keris, wouldn't it?
As i already stated, you might well be correct about this blade, and you are certainly welcome to your opinion. I still remain suspicious, especially given the very unusual blade form, one i have never seen before with this mixture of features. This is a tendency i have noted in some modrn keris making, combining features to form new "dhapur" which have led us to a major question in this thread: What do we call it?
I am a bit confused by your last remarks. I am glad you are enjoying "reading the words of the doctors keris" , whoever they are , but i have hardly done anything to discourge the conversation in this thread. You posted these keris and i have been addressing my comment to them in an attempt to answer your questions, but the wide range of discussion here, especially tangents on language and usage, have been welcomed and encouraged by me. I have done nothing to break them up. I am sorry if you do not like or disagree with my personal observations, but they are what they are. If you have any problems with my moderator skills please feel free to discuss them with me in private messaging.

[brekele]

Ohh no...!, Dave please ...this is too long for me to understand.
Your words is difficult.
I'm not good in English, please use simple words .

[David]

Sorry Brekele, i will do my best.
Simply put, i still think this last keris you have posted is a fairly recent one. You do not. That is OK, we all believe what we will.
I am still curious where you think this blade was made. Lombok, Bali, Jawa, Madura...??? Pasikutan is the length of the keris so it is not from there.
Tangguh is a system meant for high level Jawa keris. I don't think it can be properly applied to your keris. Even so, Nom-Noman is a fairly recent tangguh.
When a keris contains many unusual ricikan as this one does it makes me suspicious. Have you ever seen another keris in this form before? Is it in anyone's Pakem? If it truly is old and rare i think any smart keris dealer could have sold it for quite a lot of money. Ask yourself (don't tell us )how much you paid for it.
I hope this is clearer. Please ask questions if you don't understand my meanings.