Interesting "wallhanger"

Treeslicer · 16th February 2018, 09:00 AM

This is about a Keris Naga Sasra which I recently acquired, because I was attracted to the detailed and lively nature of how the motifs were chiseled. The closest parallel to it stylistically I've yet found (for the naga head and scales) is KBA 12 (the last keris in the Bali section) at the Malay World Edged Weapons site. I'm especially intrigued by things like the care taken in lining up the chisel marks between the top and sides of the ganja and how the cutting/chasing of the simulated layering was carefully done while the final filing before it was pickled and gilded shows no care taken whatsoever.

The warangka, which I have not bothered to waste server space on illustrating, is an unremarkable Surakarta example matching the hilt.

One particularly odd feature is the obvious wear where one would place one's thumb if using the keris, which suggests to me that someone used it for something, such as silat keris practice, or public performance.

I'm interested in whether anyone is aware of an industry (as anthropologists would put it) producing kerises with this pattern of chiselled embellishments, and using the peculiar hammered pattern along the edges to simulate layering and pamor. I've included one photo comparing it with a more typical tourist-quality Naga Sasra to underline the differences. I'm already well aware that it has the collectibility of a run-over cane toad, but I'm still curious in where it might have been made, anyway. Thanks in advance for any comments.

16th February 2018, 09:00 AM	#1
Treeslicer Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 65	Interesting "wallhanger" This is about a Keris Naga Sasra which I recently acquired, because I was attracted to the detailed and lively nature of how the motifs were chiseled. The closest parallel to it stylistically I've yet found (for the naga head and scales) is KBA 12 (the last keris in the Bali section) at the Malay World Edged Weapons site. I'm especially intrigued by things like the care taken in lining up the chisel marks between the top and sides of the ganja and how the cutting/chasing of the simulated layering was carefully done while the final filing before it was pickled and gilded shows no care taken whatsoever. The warangka, which I have not bothered to waste server space on illustrating, is an unremarkable Surakarta example matching the hilt. One particularly odd feature is the obvious wear where one would place one's thumb if using the keris, which suggests to me that someone used it for something, such as silat keris practice, or public performance. I'm interested in whether anyone is aware of an industry (as anthropologists would put it) producing kerises with this pattern of chiselled embellishments, and using the peculiar hammered pattern along the edges to simulate layering and pamor. I've included one photo comparing it with a more typical tourist-quality Naga Sasra to underline the differences. I'm already well aware that it has the collectibility of a run-over cane toad, but I'm still curious in where it might have been made, anyway. Thanks in advance for any comments. Attached Images Last edited by Treeslicer; 16th February 2018 at 06:10 PM.