A VERY INTERESTING AND UNIQUE KRIS AND A COOL FIRST POST. THE GUARD APPEARS TO BE MADE FROM A WARTHOG TUSK,(ORIGIN AFRICA) THERE IS QUITE
A BIT OF INTERESTING WORKMANSHIP ON THE HANDLE, THE SILVER CAP ON THE TUSK APPEARS TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF BLACK OXIDATION (TARNISH) THE RING NEAR THE TIP OF THE TUSK HAS SMALLER GEM STONES(PERHAPS GARNETS) MOUNTED SOME OF WHICH ARE MISSING AND THE SETTING DENTED AND DEFORMED LIKELY FROM WEARING IT. THE TUSK MAY HAVE ALREADY HAD THESE PIECES AND BEEN PART OF SOMETHING ELSE OR COULD HAVE BEEN DONE JUST FOR THIS KRIS. THE SILVER BEAD WORK GOING UP THE SIDES OF THE TUSK MAY BE TO HELP ATTACH IT OR JUST FOR DECORATION BUT ARE VERY UNUSUAL. THE IVORY PIECES ON THE POMMEL ARE LIKELY CUT FROM WARTHOG TUSK IF MADE AT THE SAME TIME BUT MAY BE ANOTHER TYPE OF IVORY?? THE SWASSA AND SILVER DECORATION INDICATES TO ME SOMEONE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO HAVE THIS HANDLE MADE SO I WOULD TAKE IT TO A JEWELER TO CHECK THE STONE IN THE POMMEL BECAUSE IF IT IS REAL YOU NEED TO KNOW IT. A STONE OF THAT SIZE WOULD BE WORTH SOME HEAVY CASH BUT IT IS LIKELY TO BE GLASS OR SYNTHETIC WHICH MAY HELP GET AN IDEA TO ITS AGE AS A GOOD JEWELER SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A GUESS AS TO DATE AND WHERE CUT BY LOOKING AT THE MATERIAL AND FACETING WORK. IF PLASTIC IT WILL BE QUITE RECENT IF A TOP QUALITY GLASS SYNTHETIC IT WILL BE OLDER BUT STILL RELATIVELY RECENT. IF ITS A REAL TOP QUALITY PINK SAPPHIRE IT NEEDS TO LIVE IN A SAFE OR VAULT. LOOK IN THE RECESSES AND CRACKS AROUND ALL FITTINGS FOR CRUD (DIRT CORROSION ECT.) IF ITS CLEAN OR THERE IS RECENT GLUE THAT'S A BAD SIGN THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER RECENTLY.AS ALWAYS I CAN'T JUDGE VERY WELL FROM PICTURES. WELCOME TO THE FORUM AND GOOD LUCK
