chikeru / tjikeroeh....
I do see quite a lot of threads from 2005 to 2015
some interesting, some guessing and some well...
just managed to lay my hands on 2 of them: a small and a big one
First I was advised on literature:
Keris Jawa (Haryoguritno) de Kris I, (Tammens), Traditional weapons from the Indonesian Archipelago (van Zonneveld), Keris Indonesia, Keris Bali (Neka) en Tafsir Keris (Bpk Junus)
Tjikeroeh ( since 1972 Cikeruh in modern Bahasa Indonesia) is a dessa east of Bandung, Java where around the turn of the 20th century in the period between 1890 to 1920 production of weapons took place ,specially cold weapons.
Tjikeroeh at that time, just like Ttjipatjing (Cipacin) which is closeby, famous for its production of, not only local but also western European arms like sabers, knives and daggers.
A huge misunderstanding is the fact that they only produced for local KNIL ( Dutch Indies Army) or as substitute for local Dutch residents working for the railraod, government or even tourists.
A huge varity from working knives like simple bado to a fancy golok, parang, european klewang and (bowie-like) knives and dagger, with handles from bone, horn or wood.
Scabbard mostly (dark) wood, sometimes with copper, nicely decorated and place of manufatoring and date engraved. ( Tjikeroeh or variances like TJKRH, TJIKE, TJIKR, TJKR)
Regardless the “export nature” many were very good sword, due to the use of spring steel !