Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 13th April 2020, 11:41 PM

I'd like to believe that the hilt is from a whale's tooth, superbly carved and with a touch of artificial patination. The overall shape is about right for a hilt from a large tooth, the material and surface finish looks right for whales tooth. I have several with similar characteristics that are definitely from whales teeth.

But what has been done in Bali with synthetics over the last 40-50 years causes me to a bit uncertain of what I'm looking at. I think this hilt might need a hot needle test, maybe inside the tang hole.

But apart from that, a nice old keris, if the hilt is not synthetic, a very nice old keris.

13th April 2020, 11:41 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,698	I'd like to believe that the hilt is from a whale's tooth, superbly carved and with a touch of artificial patination. The overall shape is about right for a hilt from a large tooth, the material and surface finish looks right for whales tooth. I have several with similar characteristics that are definitely from whales teeth. But what has been done in Bali with synthetics over the last 40-50 years causes me to a bit uncertain of what I'm looking at. I think this hilt might need a hot needle test, maybe inside the tang hole. But apart from that, a nice old keris, if the hilt is not synthetic, a very nice old keris.