Moro keris/kalis ID

xasterix · 23rd November 2024, 03:30 AM

I believe that the gangya may be a super-tightly fitted two-piece; I've encountered such pieces before- on visual, looks one-piece, but when I reset / apply heat gun, I would get a surprise when the tree adhesive bleeds out of a previously invisible gangya line.

The one-piece kris and kalis I've encountered tend to be longer, markedly less meticulous on the carving patterns for the katik and elephant figural, and have larger hilts due to having larger tangs.

I agree with RobT's possible mixed-up scabbard scenario. I believe this piece is legit pre-1900, it's just a toss-up regarding when, since I don't have any visibility on a provenanced similar piece that has a late 1700s attribution; I would be more confident to think of it as early-mid 1800s.

Admiral Lord Nelson died on 1805. Another possibility: the kris may have been made turn-of-century 1800s or up to before his death on 1805 (or a little beyond even), and intended as a gift to him. Communication was still very slow in that era; whoever bought it in PH, or secured it as a souvenir, may not have known of his death yet, hence the label.

23rd November 2024, 03:30 AM	#26
xasterix Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 674	I believe that the gangya may be a super-tightly fitted two-piece; I've encountered such pieces before- on visual, looks one-piece, but when I reset / apply heat gun, I would get a surprise when the tree adhesive bleeds out of a previously invisible gangya line. The one-piece kris and kalis I've encountered tend to be longer, markedly less meticulous on the carving patterns for the katik and elephant figural, and have larger hilts due to having larger tangs. I agree with RobT's possible mixed-up scabbard scenario. I believe this piece is legit pre-1900, it's just a toss-up regarding when, since I don't have any visibility on a provenanced similar piece that has a late 1700s attribution; I would be more confident to think of it as early-mid 1800s. Admiral Lord Nelson died on 1805. Another possibility: the kris may have been made turn-of-century 1800s or up to before his death on 1805 (or a little beyond even), and intended as a gift to him. Communication was still very slow in that era; whoever bought it in PH, or secured it as a souvenir, may not have known of his death yet, hence the label.