Balinese Keris For Comment

Rocarnice · 11th August 2005, 05:52 PM

Hello,
I've only become a member today. I am a sword collector and by chance got in possession of I think a beautiful Keris Bali with a silver/gold? Brahmaan hilt. I am preparing some pics which I will put on the forum later so hoping that you can give me some more interesting details. I think it is more than 100 years old and what I am most curious about is if the Brahmaan symbol has often been used as a hilt for keris. Myself I have done some research on the internet but couldn't find any keris yet with such a Brahmaan (Brahmin) hilt.
thanks.

Rick · 11th August 2005, 06:08 PM

Hello and welcome Rocarnice !

Looking forward to seeing your pictures .

Picture posting information can be found in the first post at the top of the forum page .

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4

Rocarnice · 11th August 2005, 09:16 PM

Hi Rick,

Here are some pics, hope they're of good quality in order to do a first assessment. Please let me know if more pics are necessary, for instance of the blade... Thanks

Tim Simmons · 11th August 2005, 09:27 PM

This really is not my cup of tea but in this we see that folded finger gesture in the right hand, like in the thread started by wolviex. Tim

nechesh · 11th August 2005, 10:32 PM

Hi Rocarnice, pretty looking keris you've got there.

The photos aren't great, but i would hazzard a guess that this is a fairly recent creation, especially the hilt. This isn't to say it doesn't have value and the silver, gold and all those stones are very nice.
I would also bet this is not a Balinese keris, inspite of it's initial appearence. The kinatah work (gold) on the blade does not look like Balinese work (i think only very few Bali keris have kinatah at all and those patterns and execution are different) and the keris does not appear to have the type of polished finish which is common on Balinese keris. Perhaps another recent Madurese blade? It is possible that the blade is older and it's just the kinatah that's new, but for somehow i doubt that. From the last photo it appears to have that even wear finish that is common on artifically aged Madurese keris. This looks like the type of flashy keris that is created to attract the western collectors. Pretty and certainly worth it's weight in gold, silver and gemstones.

Rocarnice · 12th August 2005, 09:52 AM

Thanks nechesh for your valuable comments. Of those particular elements you've mentioned I will try to put some better quality photos (without reflexion and a bit sharper, more detailed).

11th August 2005, 05:52 PM	#1
Rocarnice Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5	Keris Bali for comments (1) Hello, I've only become a member today. I am a sword collector and by chance got in possession of I think a beautiful Keris Bali with a silver/gold? Brahmaan hilt. I am preparing some pics which I will put on the forum later so hoping that you can give me some more interesting details. I think it is more than 100 years old and what I am most curious about is if the Brahmaan symbol has often been used as a hilt for keris. Myself I have done some research on the internet but couldn't find any keris yet with such a Brahmaan (Brahmin) hilt. thanks.

11th August 2005, 09:16 PM	#3
Rocarnice Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5	Hi Rick, Here are some pics, hope they're of good quality in order to do a first assessment. Please let me know if more pics are necessary, for instance of the blade... Thanks Attached Images

11th August 2005, 06:08 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Hello and welcome Rocarnice ! Looking forward to seeing your pictures . Picture posting information can be found in the first post at the top of the forum page . http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4

11th August 2005, 09:27 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	This really is not my cup of tea but in this we see that folded finger gesture in the right hand, like in the thread started by wolviex. Tim

11th August 2005, 10:32 PM	#5
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Hi Rocarnice, pretty looking keris you've got there. The photos aren't great, but i would hazzard a guess that this is a fairly recent creation, especially the hilt. This isn't to say it doesn't have value and the silver, gold and all those stones are very nice. I would also bet this is not a Balinese keris, inspite of it's initial appearence. The kinatah work (gold) on the blade does not look like Balinese work (i think only very few Bali keris have kinatah at all and those patterns and execution are different) and the keris does not appear to have the type of polished finish which is common on Balinese keris. Perhaps another recent Madurese blade? It is possible that the blade is older and it's just the kinatah that's new, but for somehow i doubt that. From the last photo it appears to have that even wear finish that is common on artifically aged Madurese keris. This looks like the type of flashy keris that is created to attract the western collectors. Pretty and certainly worth it's weight in gold, silver and gemstones.

12th August 2005, 09:52 AM	#6
Rocarnice Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5	Thanks nechesh for your valuable comments. Of those particular elements you've mentioned I will try to put some better quality photos (without reflexion and a bit sharper, more detailed).