Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

BluErf · 24th December 2005, 10:56 PM

I don't think there is a "cutoff price" like US$50k that differentiates a high culture keris from a normal keris.

It depends on what the owner wants for the keris, which, for some lucky guy, could be US$1 because the aging owner thinks he is the best person to look after the keris for the next few decades.

I also think that a high-end keris is not necessarily a high-culture keris, because high-culture kerises implies extremely high levels of artistry which usually means it is expensive, while a high-end keris can be made from very expensive materials, but of mediocre artistry.

And as for decent to poor kerises in high-end dress, apart from those done up by unscrupulous dealers, there are instances of real royal kerises from Bugis and Malay courts, and I believe even in the Javanese courts, which have blades that are so-so. These could be the old royal regalia, or simply a keris with special meaning to the royal family. One such example is the incredible gold Bugis keris gracing the cover of Court Arts of Indonesia. The gem-encrusted gold toli-toli with the dazzling gemmed rosette disc (sorry, forgot the term for that), and the repoussed gold sheets are of the highest quality, but the blade is just a good, old tough 7-waved Bugis blade.

Heheh, this is almost going into the 'pedigree' of a high-culture keris. There are ordinary kerises who follow the fortunes of the owner and get real beautiful dresses (i.e. the noveau rich), and there are kerises who were 'born high' and dressed high from day 1 (i.e. the snooty old money rich).

24th December 2005, 10:56 PM	#35
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	I don't think there is a "cutoff price" like US$50k that differentiates a high culture keris from a normal keris. It depends on what the owner wants for the keris, which, for some lucky guy, could be US$1 because the aging owner thinks he is the best person to look after the keris for the next few decades. I also think that a high-end keris is not necessarily a high-culture keris, because high-culture kerises implies extremely high levels of artistry which usually means it is expensive, while a high-end keris can be made from very expensive materials, but of mediocre artistry. And as for decent to poor kerises in high-end dress, apart from those done up by unscrupulous dealers, there are instances of real royal kerises from Bugis and Malay courts, and I believe even in the Javanese courts, which have blades that are so-so. These could be the old royal regalia, or simply a keris with special meaning to the royal family. One such example is the incredible gold Bugis keris gracing the cover of Court Arts of Indonesia. The gem-encrusted gold toli-toli with the dazzling gemmed rosette disc (sorry, forgot the term for that), and the repoussed gold sheets are of the highest quality, but the blade is just a good, old tough 7-waved Bugis blade. Heheh, this is almost going into the 'pedigree' of a high-culture keris. There are ordinary kerises who follow the fortunes of the owner and get real beautiful dresses (i.e. the noveau rich), and there are kerises who were 'born high' and dressed high from day 1 (i.e. the snooty old money rich).