My second bugis. Options on this one please

[Patje1970]

Hi all,

Bought my second bugis. I like the pamor. Seems a 9 luk if I look correct.
Pamor ? a mixed one? I have no idea how old this keris is

regards Pat

[Patje1970]

And some more pictures

[Jean]

The blade with 9 shallow waves looks old but not Bugis IMO, but maybe from West Java?
Regards

[Patje1970]

The blade with 9 shallow waves looks old but not Bugis IMO, but maybe from West Java?
Regards

Hi Jean,

Can you explain why it not Bugis? I though it is a Bugis because of the urikan style

regards Pat

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, definitely not a Bugis blade, and very probably West Jawa.

Jean spoke first, so I'll leave the explanation to him.

[Patje1970]

thanks for the information, about the region of the urikan Sulawesi ?

About the blade, what pamor is this? I asume some kind of Wos Wutah at the base. Further on the blade something else.

regards Pat

[Patje1970]

other close up pamor

[A. G. Maisey]

This is an old blade, and it has been considerably eroded. The pamor when it was new was a random pattern pamor that had been surface manipulated, perhaps something like bendo sagodo or similar. It is possibly not a good idea to give it a definite name now.

[Patje1970]

According my keris book from Tammens, This keris looks like a Sumatra type. Is this correct?

[Jean]

According my keris book from Tammens, This keris looks like a Sumatra type. Is this correct?

I agree with Alan's comments, and the hilt & scabbard are probably from Sumatra indeed but not the blade.
Regards

[Patje1970]

Hi Alan and Jean,

thank you for al the information.

regards Pat

[Jean]

Hi Jean,

Can you explain why it not Bugis? I though it is a Bugis because of the urikan style

regards Pat

Hello Pat,
What do you mean by urikan, is it ukiran (hilt)? IMO this blade is not Bugis for the following reasons (among others):
. The dapur with the shallow and uneven waves and the slim shape is not Bugis but rather typical of West Java.
. The pamor pattern is not typically Bugis.
. The shape of the gonjo, pejetan, and greneng is not Bugis.
Please see a similar blade on pic 1.4.69 in my kris book if you have it.
Regards

[Jean]

My similar blade for reference, regards.

[A. G. Maisey]

I agree with everything Jean has written, and I would like to add a little.

For a pure Bugis blade the outstanding tell is that the blade cross section is hexagonal, the faces of the blade are wide and flat with a short, steep decline to the cutting edge.

It is probable that in the hand, both the blade under discussion and Jean's blade would be classified as Segaluh, which is a West Javanese classification.

[Patje1970]

Hello Pat,
What do you mean by urikan, is it ukiran (hilt)? IMO this blade is not Bugis for the following reasons (among others):
. The dapur with the shallow and uneven waves and the slim shape is not Bugis but rather typical of West Java.
. The pamor pattern is not typically Bugis.
. The shape of the gonjo, pejetan, and greneng is not Bugis.
Please see a similar blade on pic 1.4.69 in my kris book if you have it.
Regards

Hi Jean, I was meaning ukiran. thank you for all the info. I will look in Holland for your book. already found an other book from you at the museum in Leiden (THE KRIS A PASSION FROM INDONESIA (188 pages, 2008)

regards Pat

[Jean]

It is probable that in the hand, both the blade under discussion and Jean's blade would be classified as Segaluh, which is a West Javanese classification.

You are correct Alan, my blade was classified as in Segaluh style, a very old West Javanese kingdom ending around 12th/13th century AD but of course it does not mean that these blades are that old :)
Regards

[A. G. Maisey]

True Jean, and this mix of historic association, and geographic location is a source of ongoing misunderstanding and confusion.

Most keris blades are classified in accordance with geographic point of origin, but the name of a geographic point of origin can also refer to an era. Many people choose to understand the classification name as an historic era, rather than as a location.