Hello Séverin,
Congrats, that's another nice one!
Quote:
It is clearly a keris from Sumatra, but I am not sure of its origin.
The blade and the scabbard remind me of the Minangkabau keris but the handle is closer to the Gayo style.
|
I believe it is fair to call it a keris Gayo. The hilt and selut appear to be genuine Gayo style. Thus, the keris apparently was worn in Gayo; the Gayo are also known for their eclectic use of blades and fittings from neighbouring regions.
Quote:
The length of the blade is 29.5cm long and is very thick.
|
It looks like a legitimate Bangkinang blade to me (of course, these were widely traded), possibly with a replaced gonjo? Please post pics after thorough cleaning, too.
Quote:
The scabbard is made of wood covered with a silver repoussé in its upper part, and a weave between strips of silver and cords of buffalo? hair in the lower part.
|
Seems like good, old craftsmanship to me. It may have been traded together with the blade (or even be a later match). It's not that rare for Sumatran keris to have a bit of a loose fit, so we'll probably never know for sure...
Quote:
The buntut seems to be too sutra with a band of gold filigree.
|
I always love what auto correction does to specialized terminology...
The buntut looks like a good fit. I wonder whether the band might be a repair? I've seen this motif from before WW2, I believe. I'd love to hear of any antique examples with reasonable provenance though!
Quote:
The handle is made of marine ivory, the pendokok is made of suassa with low-grade gold and garnets?
|
Rubies/spinels would also be possible - I'm also seeing lots of red glass utilized in Sumatran keris. Apparently, it didn't made much of a difference culturally and it was only the look which really counted...
Regards,
Kai