Old Bali keris

[David]

Originally Posted by Sajen

...exactly this have been the reason why I asked in my first post if I shall replace the handle. The disharmonism between atasan and gandar strikes me as well.

It seems to me that changing the hilt will do absolutely nothing to change the disharmony between the atasan and the gandar, so i hold by my original advice to keep the hilt as is, unless you find this disharmony so unsettling that you choose to have entirely new dress made for this keris.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by David

It seems to me that changing the hilt will do absolutely nothing to change the disharmony between the atasan and the gandar, so i hold by my original advice to keep the hilt as is, unless you find this disharmony so unsettling that you choose to have entirely new dress made for this keris.

Hi David,

you are absolute right. What I want to say was only that I have had a feeling that something by this keris is in disharmony but don't know by this time what exactly. So coming up my question about the hilt.
I don't think that I will let work a new dress for this keris. Like we all have agreed is the atasan a very well worked piece from a good wood and I see no reason to replace it. Maybe by my visit to Bali this summer I will take with pictures from this keris and will show them in Neka Art Museum to get a opinion over there.

Regards,

Detlef

[Sajen]

Here a other Bali keris from my collection also with a ganja wilut where the atasan and gandar worked from different wood.

[Sajen]

Yesterday I received the keris and I think that I have to agree with Alan that the complete keris isn't a very old one but in all parts very good worked.
i have asked the seller about the history of this keris and he told me that he get this keris with some other items from a man who has been a surveyor in Indonesia and the Philippines before the second world war.
I have taken some close ups from the atasan as well from the blade. Someone has a hunch which wood is used for the atasan?

[Sajen]

I found this picture by internet search so I think that I have been correct which my first guess that the used wood is gembal jati (teak burl). What do you think?

[A. G. Maisey]

Detlef, as I wrote in my earlier post, I cannot be certain from a photo as to whether this wood is burl teak or not.

It is a burl, but I know of a number of burls that have very similar appearance.

It looks like burl teak (jati gembol) but close physical examination would be necessary to be sure, a picture is just not good enough for certainty.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Detlef, as I wrote in my earlier post, I cannot be certain from a photo as to whether this wood is burl teak or not.

It is a burl, but I know of a number of burls that have very similar appearance.

It looks like burl teak (jati gembol) but close physical examination would be necessary to be sure, a picture is just not good enough for certainty.

Hello Alan,

thank you again.

Until now I wasn't able to take off the hilt since I have a spraining in my working wrist. The blade will need a new stain since someone tried to clean the blade and there are many scratches on the surface of the blade.

Regards,

Detlef