Bali wedding Keris

Battara · 10th February 2010, 02:30 AM

Last time I saw the description "wedding keris" was on a Czerny's auction and the hilt was silver and Balinese in the form of a rakshasa.

A. G. Maisey · 10th February 2010, 08:15 AM

Maybe somebody wore it at a wedding?

David · 10th February 2010, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Maybe somebody wore it at a wedding?

Well that's why i asked if there was provenance of this. I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem to me that there is any particular form of dress or keris that is specifically for weddings and i just wanted to be sure that no one was getting the impression that this is what a keris used in a Balinese wedding need look like.
Kai Wee, i think that you are probably correct. If you were busy high ranking nobility marrying you third concubine and couldn't be bothered showing up for your wedding this was probably something you could do. I do not believe that this was a general practice or one that just anybody could get away with.

chregu · 10th February 2010, 06:10 PM

good evening together
I've chewed the keris 3 years ago, the salesman told me that.
I bought this keris in Switzerland. from one of really should know. Martin Kerner, he's book author, keris handles from the Malay Archipelago.
I am not a specialist keris, almost everyone can tell me anything. smile.
so I'm glad to be in this forum and to hear other opinions too.
So, what think you know what kind of a keris?
gruss chregu

David · 10th February 2010, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chregu

So, what think you know what kind of a keris?

I am not sure what you mean exactly by this "kind" of keris. It is a fairly average Bali style keris in a form of Balinese formal dress (in regards to the sheath) which would, i suppose, make it appropriately dressed for a wedding.

This sheath appears to be a fairly well carved one and looks to be of ebony and some other wood on the stem. The blade doesn not have the typical Balinese, high polished surface and stain. Could be it was restained outside of Bali or it might be from Lombok where the high polish staining was not always used. The handle looks like a somewhat low quality version of what i have heard many describe as a Bayu hilt, though i am not certain if this is actually supposed to depict Bayu (a wind god) or not. I cannot tell if it is just brass or if a god plating has been added over it, but the "stones" seem to be mostly pastes or low quality stones. I have attached an example of a higher quality version of this hilt style. This one also mixes pastes with actually stones which is not uncommon in Bali.

Rick · 10th February 2010, 07:06 PM

I recall Sajen's remark in the painted keris thread :
" 1994 I have seen one in an antique shop in Klungkung for sale. When I come back two days later the owner have rent it to someone who want to be married. "

Could it be that this was rented out for weddings ?

In America we rent tuxedos for weddings .

David · 10th February 2010, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

I recall Sajen's remark in the painted keris thread :
" 1994 I have seen one in an antique shop in Klungkung for sale. When I come back two days later the owner have rent it to someone who want to be married. "

Could it be that this was rented out for weddings ?

In America we rent tuxedos for weddings .

Seems odd to rent a keris for a wedding given it's cultural significance, but perhaps in recent years it has come to that.
It's only us guys who get away with renting out a tux. Women most usually buy their wedding dresses and they hold greater meaning for them. It would seem to me that a wedding keris would have more significance to the groom than something that can be rented.

kulbuntet · 10th February 2010, 07:47 PM

Hi all,

Dave, did you know that you can reconize Bayu from the fan in his hand? Both have one. In old day, Bali golden hilts were only for royals, im not sure iff its allowed to wear a golden hilt on a wedding or other ceremony nowdays. I have seen wedding fotos from bali and on all of them, the groom got a keris on his back with a white Waranka (highly posible ivory), same for the hilt, ivory(white) with silver angcup with gems, or silver hilt with also gems. I remember a post or story from some one that in some ocations the groom wear a rental kers... dont know iff its a tru story. The hilt in the op pic, is "tourist made" I have one here at home.. The stones are not stone.. their pastes or glas. made of brass, in some casses with thin gold layer.

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10th February 2010, 02:30 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,315	Last time I saw the description "wedding keris" was on a Czerny's auction and the hilt was silver and Balinese in the form of a rakshasa.

10th February 2010, 08:15 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,056	Maybe somebody wore it at a wedding?

10th February 2010, 06:10 PM	#4
chregu Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: switzerland Posts: 298	good evening together I've chewed the keris 3 years ago, the salesman told me that. I bought this keris in Switzerland. from one of really should know. Martin Kerner, he's book author, keris handles from the Malay Archipelago. I am not a specialist keris, almost everyone can tell me anything. smile. so I'm glad to be in this forum and to hear other opinions too. So, what think you know what kind of a keris? gruss chregu

10th February 2010, 07:06 PM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,354	I recall Sajen's remark in the painted keris thread : " 1994 I have seen one in an antique shop in Klungkung for sale. When I come back two days later the owner have rent it to someone who want to be married. " Could it be that this was rented out for weddings ? In America we rent tuxedos for weddings .

10th February 2010, 07:47 PM	#8
kulbuntet Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands Posts: 159	Hi all, Dave, did you know that you can reconize Bayu from the fan in his hand? Both have one. In old day, Bali golden hilts were only for royals, im not sure iff its allowed to wear a golden hilt on a wedding or other ceremony nowdays. I have seen wedding fotos from bali and on all of them, the groom got a keris on his back with a white Waranka (highly posible ivory), same for the hilt, ivory(white) with silver angcup with gems, or silver hilt with also gems. I remember a post or story from some one that in some ocations the groom wear a rental kers... dont know iff its a tru story. The hilt in the op pic, is "tourist made" I have one here at home.. The stones are not stone.. their pastes or glas. made of brass, in some casses with thin gold layer.