Balinese keris
 

Made by one of my favourite craftsman from Bali. For your enjoyment........:D

Nice work Anthony.

Did the craftsman name the wood?

It looks very much like silky oak to me.

He told me is from Sulawesi, tiger wood.

Thanks Anthony.

This wood of yours does not look at all like what I know as Kayu Macan (Tiger Wood). Maybe there are different woods that have the same name.

As soon as I get a chance I'll post a pic of Silky Oak --- got a heap of the stuff around here.

Beautiful piece!

I might be wrong, dapur Megantara/Megantoro has the blade starts with the curves then straight afterwards all the way to the tip. This is like the opposite of that. What dapur is this and do you happen to know the philosophy behind it?

SJ, I don't want to get involved with the correctness or otherwise of names, I have found that what is correct for one group of people, or even for a single noted authority, is not accepted by others.

However, I feel I must point out that names & beliefs that might be accepted in one society, cannot legitimately be extended for use in a different society. In short, we cannot use Javanese names or values to refer to Balinese keris.

I agreed with what Alan has concluded as I asked some locals before and apparently dapur Megantara/Megantoro does not really applies to the Balinese keris culture. I was told by this Balinese craftsman who made this keris that he modelled after an old keris.

Alan & Anthony G, I didn't say this was Megantara/Megantoro :) I just made observation that the shape's kind of the opposite of Megantara/Megantoro Keris.

More importantly ..do you know what this dapur is called or what do you call the Keris based on its shape ..and the philosophy behind it? :)

Yes SJ, you're right, understood.

The value systems related to keris that are applied in Jawa are not applied in Bali, nor is anything similar applied.

When we consider these Javanese value systems related to the keris we need to take into consideration the effect of Sufism on the Central Javanese society as a whole, obviously these effects do not apply in Bali.

The major value systems related the keris that apply in Bali are outlined in Wiener, and to gain even a slight understanding of these systems her entire work on Balinese society should be studied, there is too much to grasp to be covered in brief Forum comments.

Visible and Invisible Realms-Margaret J.Wiener
ISBN 0-226-88582-8/1,The University of Chicago Press

According to my reference books this is not a traditional Balinese dapur. In Java it may be called Urubing Dilah luk 5, see attached pic.

I don't think I had ever seen it before and the dapur intrigued me for some reason. So thank you so very much Jean!!

Anthony G - Like the flame of a lantern, may you always be the light for others around you. Again, beautiful Keris you have there.

I do not think there is a special dapur name for it as he is famous for creating new era keris. And philosophy about this keris? Balinese and Bugis keris are forge mainly for practical use. I assume it is forge for me to 'poke' backside of people.

I think i saw similar pattern in a Balinese book, I will look at it again this weekend and reply. Meanwhile thanks for the compliment, may the force be with you.

You are correct