Grandfather's Kris...

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel

This is my Grandfather's....at least over 60-70 years old...

My Mom says that this is a dress/ ceremonial knife my grandfather was given to by her brother in Singapore......guessing it's from Malaysia...any comments...or information you might have about it...I took a close up of the emblem/ seal...it's written in Arabic...any translation???

The material seems to be some type of ivory...fittings are gold and the blade is silver...the blade is 19cm...25cm from handle to tip and 28cm when in it's sheath.

Yes, this is a ceremonial piece from the Malaysian state of Selangor. The emblem is the coat of arms of Selangor, also known as "Darul Ehsan" (Abode of Sincerity).

The traditional culture of Selangor's Malay majority is influenced by those of Bugis, Johor, Minangkabau, Mandailing and Javanese ancestry. Did your grandpa's brother held an official post there?

Hilt and sheath are from elephant ivory. The blade is for decoration, but still aesthetically pleasing, gentle 5 (luks) meandering curves.