Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jean · 4th November 2014, 01:14 PM

OK, I will contribute as I am very interested by the subject.
The blade size is 39 cm long i.e a bit shorter than the usual big balinese blades with deep & sharp ricikan (40 cm+).
In Java this dapur with 9 shallow waves would be called Sempana Kalentang but with one exception (no tikel alis). The pamor pattern is a common one and could be identified as Ngulit Semangka (watermelon rind) but alternative names could be given to it also. The thick kembang kacang is typical of this type of balinese (?) blade. One aspect which makes me doubt that it is a balinese blade is that the ganja has pamor contrary to most old balinese krisses which I have seen.
From the pics the surface shows some pits and does not look polished as the typical balinese blades, however it looks shiny but because it is oiled?
There are very few examples of such blades in the reference books "Keris Bali bersejarah" and "Keris di Lombok" but there are many similar specimens shown in the book "Keris Bali" by the late I.B. Dibia which focuses on common quality balinese krisses.
I personally do not know whether these blades are older types of balinese/ Lombok blades or East Javanese ones and solicit other opinions about it.
And the warangka batun poh seems to be made from berora pelet wood but the front side should be shown for confirming it.
Regards

4th November 2014, 01:14 PM	#10
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	OK, I will contribute as I am very interested by the subject. The blade size is 39 cm long i.e a bit shorter than the usual big balinese blades with deep & sharp ricikan (40 cm+). In Java this dapur with 9 shallow waves would be called Sempana Kalentang but with one exception (no tikel alis). The pamor pattern is a common one and could be identified as Ngulit Semangka (watermelon rind) but alternative names could be given to it also. The thick kembang kacang is typical of this type of balinese (?) blade. One aspect which makes me doubt that it is a balinese blade is that the ganja has pamor contrary to most old balinese krisses which I have seen. From the pics the surface shows some pits and does not look polished as the typical balinese blades, however it looks shiny but because it is oiled? There are very few examples of such blades in the reference books "Keris Bali bersejarah" and "Keris di Lombok" but there are many similar specimens shown in the book "Keris Bali" by the late I.B. Dibia which focuses on common quality balinese krisses. I personally do not know whether these blades are older types of balinese/ Lombok blades or East Javanese ones and solicit other opinions about it. And the warangka batun poh seems to be made from berora pelet wood but the front side should be shown for confirming it. Regards Last edited by Jean; 4th November 2014 at 07:53 PM.