KERIS WITH IVORY HILT

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by rahman

...Many Sumatran baharis display a 'tapering waist'. This is quite rare among anak alangs, on either side of the Malacca Straits..

Not necessarily so. The 'tapering waist' is a feature of bahari class (which includes anak alang and panjang). However there are exceptions. See the examples.
(courtesy of VVV)
http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/albums/...mp_j.sized.jpg
http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/albums/...bahl.sized.jpg
(courtesy of BluErf)
http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/albums/...lade_whole.jpg

Originally Posted by rahman

This is quite rare among anak alangs, on either side of the Malacca Straits.

Imho, not necessarily so. Although based on your specimens on "The Bangkinang Brothers", yours seems so.
An example of a Riau Anak Alang, (with the 'tapering waist').
(courtesy of Malay Art Gallery).
http://www.geocities.com/keris4u/ker...riau_perak.htm