A batman keris selit

[Rafngard]

Hello All,

I picked this up a while back but am only now getting to posting photos. Size wise I think this would be called a keris selit, though I believe that term is Malay specific, and this seems to be from Southern Sumatra. I think I've read that these come from somewhere between mid 19th - WWII. Given the surface texture of the blade, I suspect this one has some age, but I'm not a very good judge of this.

The blade has a naga carved on it. I wonder if this is a latter addition.

As always, any thoughts, comments, opinions, etc are welcome.

Thanks,
Leif

[Jean]

The scabbard and hilt are from South Sumatra and the rustic naga seems original from the pics (the pamor lines are continuous).
Regards

[kai]

Hello Jean,

The scabbard and hilt are from South Sumatra and the rustic naga seems original from the pics (the pamor lines are continuous).
While the pamor seems to extend through the naga, the latter does seem to be a candidate for it being recarved from a plain gandik of an originally larger keris. In any case, it is rather poor craftsmanship as you laready suggested...

Regards,
Kai

[A. G. Maisey]

The quality of craftsmanship in an item of tosan aji is most certainly relevant when that item is intended to be seen as a work of art, or if it is the production of a known and respected empu or pande.

However, when an item of tosan aji has been made originally for a talismanic purpose, or has been altered to fulfil a talismanic requirement, the quality of craftsmanship comes a very distant second to the esoteric content that the item is perceived to enshrine.

The craftsmanship of this little blade is certainly not what one would expect to see from a noted maker, and there is perhaps a possibility of alteration at a time following its original production, however, in view of the probable intent of a keris such as this, I personally would not consider the question of quality of craftsmanship to be relevant in even the smallest degree.

[Jean]

I don't know if this kris was made for talismanic purpose but this type of short kris seems to be common in South Sumatra, see a similar piece (without naga) with a 25cm long blade of better craftsmanship.
Regards

[A. G. Maisey]

Or perhaps more recent Jean?

[Rafngard]

There's another one very much like mine (with the naga) in this thread, specifically in posts 1 and 8.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=23672

Thanks,
Leif