Keris for comment

A. G. Maisey · 2nd October 2006, 09:20 AM

I thank you, Lew, and the seller for the opportunity to comment in a public Forum on this item.

Regretably, the keris is a very specialised field of study and collecting. I have now been involved in this study for over 50 years, but I doubt that anything like this period of time would be required for somebody with even the most rudimentary knowledge of the keris to recognise exactly what we are looking at in respect of the item of which you have posted a picture.

I cannot in good conscience call this item a keris.
It is a keris-like object.
It is the type of thing that is sold to tourists as a souvenir of Bali.
It has the general form of a keris, but I believe the blade will be found to have been formed by being partially cut and partially forged from a piece of homogenous steel, the imitation pamor pattern has almost certainly been achieved by partially masking the blade with wax and then staining the exposed steel, the wax then being removed with boiling water.

The scabbard and handle appear to be of sono wood, and the quality of the carving is abysmal.This carving is the sort of thing that is done by young children who are just beginning to learn the craft.

This object cannot be dignified by calling it a keris.

It is a keris-like souvenir.

As a memento of a holiday in Bali, or as an ornament on the wall behind a bar, it has worth. As an item in a collection of keris or eastern edged weapons it has no place or value at all.

2nd October 2006, 09:20 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	I thank you, Lew, and the seller for the opportunity to comment in a public Forum on this item. Regretably, the keris is a very specialised field of study and collecting. I have now been involved in this study for over 50 years, but I doubt that anything like this period of time would be required for somebody with even the most rudimentary knowledge of the keris to recognise exactly what we are looking at in respect of the item of which you have posted a picture. I cannot in good conscience call this item a keris. It is a keris-like object. It is the type of thing that is sold to tourists as a souvenir of Bali. It has the general form of a keris, but I believe the blade will be found to have been formed by being partially cut and partially forged from a piece of homogenous steel, the imitation pamor pattern has almost certainly been achieved by partially masking the blade with wax and then staining the exposed steel, the wax then being removed with boiling water. The scabbard and handle appear to be of sono wood, and the quality of the carving is abysmal.This carving is the sort of thing that is done by young children who are just beginning to learn the craft. This object cannot be dignified by calling it a keris. It is a keris-like souvenir. As a memento of a holiday in Bali, or as an ornament on the wall behind a bar, it has worth. As an item in a collection of keris or eastern edged weapons it has no place or value at all.