Balinese kris from Polish Museum

[David]

Thanks Paul. I have surfed the Tropen Museum site a number of times.
The photo as uploaded here is a bit too small to tell much, but it certainly looks like it could be a Bali blade.
If you read through this thread you will see why some of us thought that perhaps the originally posted keris may have been from Madura instead.

[Paul B.]

Fully agree and this 'high rank' Madura kris (?) definitely shows typical Madurese features.
The kinatah is 18 or maybe 22 carat gold? Additional kinatah makes it a precious piece. There is red 'dust' in the gilt pendok, just for decoration purpose or is there a relation with a Keraton?

[Jean]

Hello Paul,
The kinatah of your kris looks recently made or refurbished from the pics, and the blade may be Javanese?
I attach the pic of a Javanese kris with an old blade but a recently made (about 1990) silver pendok with topengan.
Regards

[Paul B.]

Kinatah not very old I agree nor superbly made but blade has the perfect fit into a typical ladrang capu slot opening so why Javanese? NG pamor is a wellknown Madurese pamor.

[Paul B.]

Additional pic of slot.

[Paul B.]

Checked the blade and it measures from tip to ganja: 37 cm and showing a wide base and clotchy pamor so doubtfree a Madurese blade.

[David]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

Checked the blade and it measures from tip to ganja: 37 cm and showing a wide base and clotchy pamor so doubtfree a Madurese blade.

Well Paul, i won't make any claims of origin since the photos provided don't give me a very good look at this blade, but Madura is right next to Jawa and it is considered a part of East Jawa. I would not be surprised to find a few Javanese blades in custom-fit Madurese dress. So that the blade is neatly fitted to the sheath is not really an indication that the blade was made in Madura.
I also don't see why you site the blade length as evidence of Madurese origin. 37 cm is well within the expected lengths of Javanese blades as well.
I am having a hard time seeing this kinatah as "superbly made", but maybe we just need to see closer, sharper images to understand what you see with the blade in hand.
BTW, we are here in this thread already so we should continue here, but the only similarity this keris has to the ones under discussion is the topengan. This keris probably would have been better suited to its own separate thread. Just something to think about for future postings.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

Kinatah not very old I agree nor superbly made but blade has the perfect fit into a typical ladrang capu slot opening so why Javanese? NG pamor is a wellknown Madurese pamor.

Hello Paul,
Ladrang Capu is a Central Javanese type of warangka (see book KJ page 306) but yours is clearly an East Javansese type (also found in Madura).
Regards