A keraton (?) keris in east javanese dress, where is the blade from?

A. G. Maisey · 25th November 2024, 04:50 AM

As I have commented, as you have recognised, David, I cannot give an opinion, just comments.

So here is another comment:- I have yet to see any Javanese hilt or selut that has similar design elements to the hilt & selut on this keris. The fluted body of the hilt is something I cannot recall from anywhere, the stiff, tense execution is something that I'm more used to seeing in recent hilts, rather than in older ones, the selut is quite similar to some Sumatran styles, the gold selut looks like good quality modern gold plate, not gilding. To my eye there is nothing I can see in this hilt that would cause me to align it with anything I have previously seen, except perhaps the demon's head.

I simply cannot form an opinion, maybe I'm just too cynical, too doubting, but when I see something I cannot align with things I have seen, & when that something clearly wants to be taken seriously as a quality item, only parts of which have seen hard times, I tend to rely on feelings. In this case my feelings are that I'd like to hold it in my hand before I committed to any firm opinion.

25th November 2024, 04:50 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	As I have commented, as you have recognised, David, I cannot give an opinion, just comments. So here is another comment:- I have yet to see any Javanese hilt or selut that has similar design elements to the hilt & selut on this keris. The fluted body of the hilt is something I cannot recall from anywhere, the stiff, tense execution is something that I'm more used to seeing in recent hilts, rather than in older ones, the selut is quite similar to some Sumatran styles, the gold selut looks like good quality modern gold plate, not gilding. To my eye there is nothing I can see in this hilt that would cause me to align it with anything I have previously seen, except perhaps the demon's head. I simply cannot form an opinion, maybe I'm just too cynical, too doubting, but when I see something I cannot align with things I have seen, & when that something clearly wants to be taken seriously as a quality item, only parts of which have seen hard times, I tend to rely on feelings. In this case my feelings are that I'd like to hold it in my hand before I committed to any firm opinion.