Kris hilt material query

SidJ · 17th May 2023, 10:25 PM

Here is an image of the kris. Any thoughts on its overall quality and age notwithstanding it is buffalo horn would be welcome. The scabbard us not original to the kris and is a poor fit.

SidJ · 17th May 2023, 10:26 PM

The blade is 36cm long.

A. G. Maisey · 18th May 2023, 12:56 AM

Sid, this style of keris is not really my prime area of knowledge, so I'll limit my comments to saying that it appears to be of reasonable quality and in reasonable condition. The hilt itself is perhaps the nicest & most valuable component of this item.

However, your note that the scabbard is not original to the blade does prompt me to comment on this element of your description.

Where a keris has been prepared for use as an item of dress it is important that the scabbard should be one that has been made for that specific blade.

However, where a keris has been used in any combat situation it is not at all unusual to find that the blade will not be a perfect fit to the scabbard.

The reason for this is that often under combat conditions a scabbard will have been dropped, lost or discarded when the keris itself was in use. After the period of use a different scabbard was sometimes substituted for the original. We find this situation of a mismatch quite often and particularly with Balinese & Bugis keris.

SidJ · 18th May 2023, 12:44 PM

Thanks Alan
The scabbard although not original has been with the keris for some time. This is evidenced by the clear difference in blade colour at the point where it protrudes from the scabbard mouth. So I guess we can say the replacement is not recent and perhaps probably done within the culture.

A. G. Maisey · 18th May 2023, 12:47 PM

Very possible Sid.

Sajen · 18th May 2023, 04:13 PM

Hello Sid,

The hilt is in the pangulu style, scabbard looks Bugis but I am a little bit unsure about the blade, could be Bugis also. A proper warangan could give some clues.

Regards,
Detlef

SidJ · 18th May 2023, 10:42 PM

The blade cross section is not hexagonal in profile like typical Bugis blades. Could this be Sumatran,? I do not know if the Hilt could be Sumatran too. Is this what pengulu style refers to?

17th May 2023, 10:25 PM	#1
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	Here is an image of the kris. Any thoughts on its overall quality and age notwithstanding it is buffalo horn would be welcome. The scabbard us not original to the kris and is a poor fit. Attached Images

17th May 2023, 10:26 PM	#2
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	The blade is 36cm long.

18th May 2023, 12:56 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Sid, this style of keris is not really my prime area of knowledge, so I'll limit my comments to saying that it appears to be of reasonable quality and in reasonable condition. The hilt itself is perhaps the nicest & most valuable component of this item. However, your note that the scabbard is not original to the blade does prompt me to comment on this element of your description. Where a keris has been prepared for use as an item of dress it is important that the scabbard should be one that has been made for that specific blade. However, where a keris has been used in any combat situation it is not at all unusual to find that the blade will not be a perfect fit to the scabbard. The reason for this is that often under combat conditions a scabbard will have been dropped, lost or discarded when the keris itself was in use. After the period of use a different scabbard was sometimes substituted for the original. We find this situation of a mismatch quite often and particularly with Balinese & Bugis keris.

18th May 2023, 12:44 PM	#4
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	Thanks Alan The scabbard although not original has been with the keris for some time. This is evidenced by the clear difference in blade colour at the point where it protrudes from the scabbard mouth. So I guess we can say the replacement is not recent and perhaps probably done within the culture.

18th May 2023, 12:47 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Very possible Sid.

18th May 2023, 04:13 PM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Hello Sid, The hilt is in the pangulu style, scabbard looks Bugis but I am a little bit unsure about the blade, could be Bugis also. A proper warangan could give some clues. Regards, Detlef

18th May 2023, 10:42 PM	#7
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	The blade cross section is not hexagonal in profile like typical Bugis blades. Could this be Sumatran,? I do not know if the Hilt could be Sumatran too. Is this what pengulu style refers to?