Terengganu Malela with inserted metal
 

This keris has both unusual features for a malela as well as some odd metal inserted at the "sorsoran".
It's not a replaced tang but something else.
Maybe a piece of talismanic/blessed metal or any other ideas?

Michael

Sweet!

Congrats

Lew

Oh, now that's very pretty. :) My guess would also be that there is talismanic intent here.

This really is a very beautiful keris. I like it a lot.

Looking at the surface of this keris. wanderfull

Hi Michael,
a real beauty! My guess is also that it is a talismanic insert or an old repair from an blowhole. :shrug:
Congrats for this very nice keris,
sajen

Hi Michael,

Nice one !

The blade is very wel conserved.

Maybe the ''insert'' is something like a tambal , a piece of a older or family blade?


I.m just shouting something but this is what was on my mind :confused:


Danny

Michael,

Very nice keris.

Can you see the tang / ie. is the handle removable ?

Best regards
Willem

Thanks all,

Any other ideas?
Willem, the sturdy tang is visible when I remove the hilt.

Michael

Hi Michael,

Sorry for not updating you on this piece, earlier. When I showed pics of this blade to friends whom attended the keris seminar and workshop @ Universiti Malaya (UM), there's no clear indication.. what was confirmed was that it's a malela blade, the dressing is typical Terengganu-styled.

From the blade material, it is not too old, no earlier than 20thC works, probably later.. Unfortunately, many were unwilling to give an opinion based on pictures alone.. as other aspects are not being abled to be determined. :o

Shahrial

Michael, I noted this thread a few weeks ago, but at the time was in a situation where I could not post to the Forum.

It is difficult to give an iron-clad opinion based on a photo, but what immediately catches my eye is the apparent flaw in the opposite side of the blade to the side with the inset. This flaw appears to correspond in position to the area with the inset. From what I can see here, I'm inclined to think this inset is a repair intended to strengthen the flawed area.

Thanks both for the added information!

I also guessed that it wasn't that old. But older than 21th C. :confused:

On the flaw/inset they don't exactly correspond IRL in position.
But the top flaw is very close to the top 1/3 part of the inset.
The lower flaws/dents don't correspond at all.
Do you have any theories how a flaw like this occured?
I assume it was after it was manufactured?

Michael

Hello Michael,
maybe like my guess at first view, a blowhole?
Regards,
sajen

:D :D :D later than 20th Century... Is the iron still hot ? :D :D :D

Detlef, what do you mean by a blowhole ?

Ps. I can imagine that during forging some flaws may occur and than you can of course decide to make some repair when this occurs in a stage where the product is already near its final form/shape.
But than is looks like the only flaw in this blade.
I really like the shape.

Michael, the flaws do not need to exactly correspond. A flaw can occur through the blade at an agle. If the one on the reverse side is even close to the patch, then for me, this would be a good enough indication of a flaw that occurred during manufacture.

I also do not understand "blow hole".
Flaws can occur for several reasons, mostly either a cold shut when welding, or because of a degree of hotshortness in the material. Whatever caused it is not important:- its there, so can it be fixed? That is what the maker---or maybe owner would have asked himself. This inlay, or inset, or patch or whatever you like to call it, would probably serve the purpose.

Hello Willem,
sorry for misunderstanding, I've used an online-dictionary. I mean a forge mistake. Maybe a inclusion from cinder. Nearly the same guess as Mr. Maisey mentioned.
sajen

Thanks Alan for the explanation on manufacture flaws.
I also didn't get Detlef's blow hole first.
I thought it was related to the esoteric peeping-hole in some Javanese keris :D

Michael