Keris patrem ?
 

Good afternoon to all friends
Recently I purchased this small beauty at an online auction. I did not realize the real size, and thought it was a patrem, but now I an not so sure and think this is in fact a miniature kris. It is a very recent manufacture and very very well made, as you can see from the enclosed pics.
Any comments ?
Thanks in advance to everybody

Sorry, one pic has not been attached

The file is considered not safe. Please apologize

Trying again

Again

Once more

e

Hi Gio. I'm not sure why, but there is defintely a problem with the files you are attempting to upload. I note that they are PDFs. Though that is an acceptable file type for upload, perhaps you could try converting these files to JPGs and see if that works better.

Thanks David. I shall follow your suggestion.
I cannot understand what is wrong: what I tried to upload is a scan of an image.

Files in jpg

The blade is 14 cm (5,5 inch)

GIO,

The problem with .pdf files is that the forum software treats these as document attachments and not as a graphic format that can be displayed. Document formats are appended to the post and need to be downloaded in order to view them. Graphic formats (.jpg, .giff, .png) will display as images.

Hope this helps.

Ian.

Many thanks Ian. I am not familiar at all with such - for me sophisticated - aspects.
Gio

Relatively low number of views, but 1868 is a good number.
Still no comments ?

Hello Gio,

I can't answer your question but I have seen a few Balinese keris hilts of very similar size like the hilt from your keris.

Regards,
Detlef

I would be very reluctant to consider this tiny object in the form of a keris as something made specifically for a woman.

My reason for this is that I do not know of any situation in Balinese society where a Balinese woman would have occasion to wear or use such an object.

And how about Javanese kerisses of this small length?
Are they more common in Java?

Kind refegards,
Maurice

I would say that patrem are not exactly "common" in Jawa, but they are more likely to exist there.

Gio, i would say that you would be more likely to get comments if you could provide some better and more detailed images of the keris. The PDFs you provided are too small to be able to give much feedback and the first images you provided are a bit blurry.
From what i can see i agree that this blade is rather recent. Though dressed in Balinese form it gives me the impression of something made elsewhere, perhaps Madura. I see a reasonably well formed blade here, but i am afraid i do not see a "very, very well made" one. I could be wrong, but the blade appears to have been made without a core similar to Buntel Mayat.
I tend to agree with Alan about the lack of Balinese situations where a patrem would be worn. I could be wrong, but i also don't thing there are too many patrems being commissioned these days for cultural uses even in Jawa where they are a know part of the culture, though uncommon even there. So since this is a modern creation i am not sure we should be calling it a patrem.
It is an attractive little item though.

Many thanks for your answers. I myself have already excluded it as a keris patrem, I confirm the high level of craftmanship, the pamor as "buntel majat" (hence the absence of a core). My question is therefore: "what was it made for ??". Is it a form of talisman ?
Apart from any consideration I consider it a nice item and am happy to have purchased it.
Thank again for the cooperation and best regards. Gio

Could have been made for a number of reasons. Yes, a could have been intended as a jimat (talisman), but it could just as easily be an item created purely for collectors as many modern keris are.