[kai]

Originally Posted by Federico

Most common method of faking that is popping up right now in Moro kris, are old blades new fittings. Usually missing the asang-asang, lots of dirt on the hilts, black blade, etc... Essentially the blade tends to have that buried look, and fittings tend to also be very very dirty. These can be hard to identify, especially when done right, there is enough old parts to make wishful collectors turn a blind eye. There are however a couple tells that pop up. A. the seller story These are most commonly sold by antique dealers in PI, and the story is invariably the same, and generally the sword's origins are extravagent eg. its a datu piece or its X years old etc... In many cases where the blade is old, but the fittings are of nicer quality, this can be real hard to tell particularly when held in the hand. B. the frequency that X datu piece of the exact same style just seems to pop up in numerous locations in large numbers. With a little common sense, what is the odds of 5 of the exact same style, design, local, story kris ending up in the same shop, particularly if they are old family heirlooms of considerable age. Even the best reputable dealers, rarely get two swords in stock that are the same style, numerous pieces that look exactly the same, and all happen to be in the same shop, well.... C. modern parts/construction methods, like modern epoxies, solid fittings, etc... Can be hard to see under all the dirt, but once cleaned will be visible

Thanks, Federico!

The next most common fakes that get pushed in antiques markets are new swords, pawned off as old. These often get the tourist label stamped on them here on the forums, but in certain well many cases this is not warranted.

The real tourist pieces seem invariably come with those shortcuts mentioned - they just don't look right...

These are the most common on Ebay and other such places, and usually have vague references to age. A few sellers are honest about them, and the quality of the blades/fittings can be quite high. I have not sold my newer pieces, partly because the okir work is so wonderfully done, they make great study pieces for okir. Just dont buy the stories that they are old. With these pieces, the whole fake aspect comes in the story of the seller, and not necessarily that the piece was made with the intention of being passed off as a fake.

Yup, especially the newer gunongs often come with elaborate fittings & okir. However, newer kris always seem to come with integral gangya or are there new examples with separate ones?

Regards,
Kai