Where does this blade come from?

[milandro]

Originally Posted by kai

Welcome to the world of the keris and the even weirder world of its aficionados!

Criteria for judging present highly moving targets, especially if you move from one community to the next...

There certainly is a difference between blades deemed low end but genuine/traditional vs "interesting" vs quality vs high-end though! (Real high-end blades are hardly ever seen in public and may cost more than a new Ferrari...)

This blade I'd place in the interesting category: It exhibits some unusual features like 3 fullers (if I interpret the pics correctly), some effort put into it (like the wavy gonjo and greneng), and also subpar features like the flat "ridges" and other base features. Some of the latter may be due to being worn down or possibly even overzealous cleaning attempts with abrasives. I see laminations which will most likely show up after warangan (the contrast might be low but I'd give it a try).

This blade does not seem to originate from Java - it seems to have a Malay feel and could well be from Sumatra.

Please share the hilt, too!

Regards,
Kai

@Kai, You saw the hilt ( sorry the length will have to wait because I didn’t measure it before sending to wash and now it is not in my possession but it is rather shorter than all the Javanese krisses I own).

Despite my obvious ignorance of many things concerning the krisses, I too have the impression this was a Malay influenced blade. You are right yes 3 fullers , I am not sure there are flat ridges but that may be due to the rather poor photography (it was a cut out from a telephone shot) nowhere near the quality of a camera shot.

It would be nice to determine whether this is indeed a Malay blade so that , comes the time to find a sarong, I’d be able to work in that direction.

I have a bugis gandar ( no warangka I am afraid) and maybe I could find a warangka in that style but it is very difficult to find parts in general but even more Malay parts in the NL.