Simple Balinese Keris

David · 13th August 2023, 03:31 PM

hmmm...while there are certainly far more elaborate Balinese keris i'm not sure my opening line would include "nothing fancy".
Firstly, an unusual 19 luk keris. It is believed that such keris that are outside the normal upper end luk count are generally considered suited for people outside the normal social strata such as artists or performers.
The kamardikan blade seems to be nicely sculpted and the 19 luks appear to be handled pretty well. Just because a keris doesn't have kembang kacang doesn't mean it is simplistic. And the gonjo (is it gonjo yuyu rumpung?) i would even say qualifies as "fancy'. And the dress is a recent version of the formal serengatan style sheath and a togogan (figural) hilt. While these don't appear to be the highest level of fine carving that can be found on such dress it seems fairly decent and as a formal form sort sort of negates the idea of "nothing fancy".
And then, of course, you have this lontar that the pande sent you as a "certificate". I can't read it either and if this were mine i would probably request a translation from the pande. But it does help make this somewhat of a "special" package.
All in all this seems to be an attractive kamardikan keris.

13th August 2023, 03:31 PM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	hmmm...while there are certainly far more elaborate Balinese keris i'm not sure my opening line would include "nothing fancy". Firstly, an unusual 19 luk keris. It is believed that such keris that are outside the normal upper end luk count are generally considered suited for people outside the normal social strata such as artists or performers. The kamardikan blade seems to be nicely sculpted and the 19 luks appear to be handled pretty well. Just because a keris doesn't have kembang kacang doesn't mean it is simplistic. And the gonjo (is it gonjo yuyu rumpung?) i would even say qualifies as "fancy'. And the dress is a recent version of the formal serengatan style sheath and a togogan (figural) hilt. While these don't appear to be the highest level of fine carving that can be found on such dress it seems fairly decent and as a formal form sort sort of negates the idea of "nothing fancy". And then, of course, you have this lontar that the pande sent you as a "certificate". I can't read it either and if this were mine i would probably request a translation from the pande. But it does help make this somewhat of a "special" package. All in all this seems to be an attractive kamardikan keris.