A Balinese Keris for Analysis

David · 21st September 2020, 04:50 PM

Hi Charles. This is a lovely Balinese keris.
On the sarung, does it appear that it was made for this blade specifically. Certainly it was made for a blade with gonjo wilut so it seems possible. I have not seen many dance keris sheath made for gonjo wilut, but if this sheath was made specifically for this keris than i can't see calling it a mismatch.
As for the hilt, i have a Bali keris that was once in the Frey collection that has a somewhat similar hilt. It too has led to some head scratching, but since this keris has been known to exist in this form since at least the early 1970s it is not some mismatched dealer special. It is, like yours, certainly an unusual hilt for a Bali keris though. So i am not going to dismiss you example as a mismatch too quickly, especially if, as you say, this hilt is too large for the usual Javanese/Madurese blade.

CharlesS · 21st September 2020, 05:19 PM

Thanks David. The blade and sheath are a perfect fit, with the mouth of the sheath following the curvature of the ganja. The hilt is maybe like an E. Java keris hilt on steroids, but particularly its girth would not match a Javanese hilt, much like the example you have shown. It would simply overwhelm and take the balance out of the aesthetics of a Javanese ensemble.

CharlesS · 21st September 2020, 05:21 PM

I think my pics just do not properly convey the size of the hilt. Its selut is a perfect fit.

These pics may help show the comparative size of the hilt, but I am not even sure these pics do the dimensions justice.

21st September 2020, 04:50 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,218	Hi Charles. This is a lovely Balinese keris. On the sarung, does it appear that it was made for this blade specifically. Certainly it was made for a blade with gonjo wilut so it seems possible. I have not seen many dance keris sheath made for gonjo wilut, but if this sheath was made specifically for this keris than i can't see calling it a mismatch. As for the hilt, i have a Bali keris that was once in the Frey collection that has a somewhat similar hilt. It too has led to some head scratching, but since this keris has been known to exist in this form since at least the early 1970s it is not some mismatched dealer special. It is, like yours, certainly an unusual hilt for a Bali keris though. So i am not going to dismiss you example as a mismatch too quickly, especially if, as you say, this hilt is too large for the usual Javanese/Madurese blade. Attached Images

21st September 2020, 05:21 PM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	I think my pics just do not properly convey the size of the hilt. Its selut is a perfect fit. These pics may help show the comparative size of the hilt, but I am not even sure these pics do the dimensions justice. Attached Images

21st September 2020, 05:19 PM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Thanks David. The blade and sheath are a perfect fit, with the mouth of the sheath following the curvature of the ganja. The hilt is maybe like an E. Java keris hilt on steroids, but particularly its girth would not match a Javanese hilt, much like the example you have shown. It would simply overwhelm and take the balance out of the aesthetics of a Javanese ensemble.