keris Minangkabau

[sirek]

From the box that I had bought: keris nr 3
(keris nr 1: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24660 )
(keris 2: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24843 )

A keris Minangkabau with a ganja iras blade 33,5cm/13.18 inch

[David]

Nice looking keris. I especially like the blade.

[Paul B.]

Indeed a lovely blade and nice looking scabbard but the gandar could have been a replacement. Shape and colour is not what I expect to see of a Minang keris.
Tip end of the peksi is odd (lloks like a nail).

[Jean]

IMO only the gambar/ atasan (top of the wrongko) is Minang, the hilt & blade (?) look Bugis and the gandar is probably not original as already said by Paul (no buntut at the tip). However this is a nice kris indeed.
Regards

[kai]

The nice blade might be too tall for this type of wronko.

The hilt seems to be too tall for Sulawesi - this style is Sumatran, Straits, or west coast Melayu.

The blade could be from Palembang (unless collected early, the blade surface seems more consistent with Palembang as well as the bold pamor).

Regards,
Kai

[sirek]

Thanks for the comment!
And yes the gandar looks like a replacement, under the copper ring there is a difference in thickness and that is filled up again and concealed by the copper ring.
I also think it's beautiful blade (IMHO): it seems there is an animal visible on one side of the sor-soran?

[Jean]

The nice blade might be too tall for this type of wronko.

The hilt seems to be too tall for Sulawesi - this style is Sumatran, Straits, or west coast Melayu.

The blade could be from Palembang (unless collected early, the blade surface seems more consistent with Palembang as well as the bold pamor).

Regards,
Kai

Yes I agree, the blade is more probably from South Sumatra than Bugis, but not Minang anyway.
Regards

[David]

Yes I agree, the blade is more probably from South Sumatra than Bugis, but not Minang anyway.
Jean, Minangkabau keris are not my area of concentration. In fact i have no examples presently in my collection. So i am curious about identification. Many Minang blades i have seen are of the anak alang of keris bahari form, but i have seen others that are not. I do understand what Kai is saying about the bold pamor being somewhat Palembang-like, but i believe i can recall also seeing some Minang examples having bold pamor even if most do not. But when you dismiss this as being a Minang blade, can you explain your criteria so that we can better understand your reasoning?
As for the sheath stem, i agree that is probably a replacement since it does not terminate as we would expect the original gandar to on such dress. It doesn't really take much away from this lovely piece for me though. After all, when a sheath is damaged it must either be repaired or replaced. Perhaps this os not the best replacement stylistically, but i am willing to bet it looks a far bit better now then before they replaced it. ;)
And i will repeat again, this is a lovely blade regardless of its exact origin. :)

[Jean]

Jean, Minangkabau keris are not my area of concentration. In fact i have no examples presently in my collection. So i am curious about identification. Many Minang blades i have seen are of the anak alang of keris bahari form, but i have seen others that are not. I do understand what Kai is saying about the bold pamor being somewhat Palembang-like, but i believe i can recall also seeing some Minang examples having bold pamor even if most do not. But when you dismiss this as being a Minang blade, can you explain your criteria so that we can better understand your reasoning?


Hi David,
I am not totally dismissing that the blade could be from Minang origin but I find it very unlikely: As you say many Minang krisses are fitted with either a straight bahari blade (the origin of which being generally assigned to the Riau province), or a shorter rustic style with 3 luks. Both types of blades have no clearly visible pamor pattern.
I have attached pics of 2 typical specimens of these blades and I have several similar ones.
The blade from Sirek is totally different as it is longer and has a clear pamor pattern and an elegant dapur with ganja iras which is quite common in South Sumatra.
Regards

[Jean]

Please see a luk blade attributed to South Sumatra with a fine pamor pattern as the one from Sirek and a ganja iras also.
Regards