Keris Malela Unduk Unduk

[Gustav]

More pics:

[Gustav]

Here are the picture and two close-up extracts of the only old Keris Unduk-Unduk I have seen so far.

[Sajen]

Hello Gustav,

great keris also when it is maybe not very old, thank you very much for sharing.

Regards,
Detlef

[Gustav]

Found one more - acquired 1928, hilt seems to be Akar Bahar. Blade could be Gonjo Iras, which possibly means a lot of dificulties carving Sraweyan and Blumbangan.

[Gavin Nugent]

Just doing a little light reading....I seemed to have missed this last year Gustav, thank you for sharing, this outs to rest the question of the form being new or old, referring to claims but some collectors that this is only a later 20th century design...

Gavin

[alexish]

Just for reference, I enclose pictures of an Indonesian-made malela-like keris for your comment.

[A. G. Maisey]

Alexish, this keris that you have posted a photo of is a very recent, current era keris.

The wrongko is attempting to be something that it is not. The carving and finishing is crude, it is trying to be a Bugis form, from where I don't know, but it is nothing at all like any wrongko of this broad general Bugis style that I have ever seen.

The pendongkok was very probably made in Surabaya, or at least marketed through East Jawa. I cannot see enough detail of the hilt to comment.

The blade is another story.
This is a very good example of a Kemardikan blade. The level of skill that is displayed in this blade appears to be of a very high standard.

As current era keris art it is a very good keris.

Chop up the wrongko and use it for firewood.

Have the blade re-dressed in a traditional Javanese style. If this keris belonged to me it would go into a very high quality East Javanese sandang walikat.