Some help here, please

[fernando]

Hi guys,
While looking in antiques shops for weapons more of my type, i have just stumbled upon this keris.
The owner (seller), knowing nothing about these things, searched the Net and 'managed' to find an example he 'considers' similar to this one, dated 16th century.
Needless to say he is asking a fortune to sell it, based on such 'conclusion'.
Is there any way, by looking at these lousy pictures, to estimate a date on this keris?
Whatever the conclusion, i will never buy it, due to the conviction the seller has that this is an almost 'medieval' weapon.
... But i would in any case appreciate your guys opinion, just for the sake of knowledge.
These pictures i am posting were authorized by its owner and my query here does not constitute any unexpected procedure.


.

[Jean]

Hello Fernando,
I will start with the easy part: the hilt is a poor quality and recent Madurese piece and the mendak is also recent and in Sumatra or Bugis style.
I will let other members comment about the blade ...
Regards

[A. G. Maisey]

Blade:- current era, made in Sumenep Madura, high probability that it was sold out of a particular market in Surabaya, needs maintenance, rather average quality.

Hilt:- remarkably poor quality, current era.

Pendongkok:- made in Madura, brass, probably low quality silver plate but could be nickel plate or chrome plate, current era, exceptionally poor quality. This fitting should not be on this type of keris, as Jean has said, it belongs with a Bugis-type keris.

[Rick]

The stuff dreams are made of .

[David]

Well, you could show him this thread, but he probably won't believe you...or us...people like to hold on to their pipe dreams...

[satsujinken]

well ... according to my limited knowledge, this keris :

1. dhapur : nagasasra
2. luk : 11
3. pamor : miji timun
4. tangguh : kamardikan
5. made : madura

needs urgent maintenance ... well at least you could try mineral oil to stabilize the rust, after some general cleaning of the blade


CMIIW

Donny

[satsujinken]

errr ... just asking .... shouldn't this type of keris have something in the mouth of the dragon ??

one of mine had gold ball ... the other had some kind of red jewel in the dragon's mouth

[Henk]

Well, all is said here

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Hilt:- remarkably poor quality, current era.

How current is this hilt ?
It is crudely carved, yes, but it has collected quite some patina and dirt in time.
Not medeaval, but maybe mid 20th cent. ?

Best regards,
Willem

[fernando]

Originally Posted by asomotif

How current is this hilt ?
It is crudely carved, yes, but it has collected quite some patina and dirt in time.
Not medeaval, but maybe mid 20th cent. ?

Best regards,
Willem

Well, four hundred years difference ... is no difference

[satsujinken]

Originally Posted by asomotif

How current is this hilt ?
It is crudely carved, yes, but it has collected quite some patina and dirt in time.
Not medeaval, but maybe mid 20th cent. ?

Best regards,
Willem

this keris classified as kamardikan, or made after Indonesia's independence - 1945

so it may be 10 - 20 - 30 years old, but still classified as "newly made" in terms of keris age - and so is the hilt ...

Donny