My new keris

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

Congrats, nice Palembang combo!

This Sumatran gonjo iras blade certainly deserves a decent stain.

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai,
thank you, but I think that this is a Minangkabau keris, the pendok is typical for and also the hilt. Don't let irritate by the warangka, you can found this form also in Minangkabau area.
Regards,
sajen

[kai]

Hello Sajen,

I'm glad that the blade came out as nice as expected!

I think that this is a Minangkabau keris, the pendok is typical for and also the hilt. Don't let irritate by the warangka, you can found this form also in Minangkabau area.

Since the Minang Kabau were politically and economically well connected with Palembang / eastern Sumatra, pieces from area do pop up on the other side of the Sumatran mountain range.

I agree that we might be looking at mixed influences here:
This hilt does look Minang although most molar hilts seem to come from eastern Sumatra. The pendok type seems to show up all over Sumatra - I'm not sure this can be positively attributed to the MK.

The cross-piece does seem to be Palembang to me though (judging from the carving flow; while there's a lot of variety in shapes I also haven't seen a well-provenanced Minang cross-piece with rudder).

The blade seems more likely East Sumatran to me: bold pamor, shape, tiny greneng, and gonjo iras.

If I had to guess, I'd posit that this keris originated in Palembang and got partially refitted by a Minang owner later on.

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Sajen,

I'm glad that the blade came out as nice as expected!



Since the Minang Kabau were politically and economically well connected with Palembang / eastern Sumatra, pieces from area do pop up on the other side of the Sumatran mountain range.

I agree that we might be looking at mixed influences here:
This hilt does look Minang although most molar hilts seem to come from eastern Sumatra. The pendok type seems to show up all over Sumatra - I'm not sure this can be positively attributed to the MK.

The cross-piece does seem to be Palembang to me though (judging from the carving flow; while there's a lot of variety in shapes I also haven't seen a well-provenanced Minang cross-piece with rudder).

The blade seems more likely East Sumatran to me: bold pamor, shape, tiny greneng, and gonjo iras.

If I had to guess, I'd posit that this keris originated in Palembang and got partially refitted by a Minang owner later on.

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai,

you might be right that that we can see by this keris a mixed influence from two regions of Sumatra. The blade and also the wrangka shows definitely Palembang influence but I think that the pendok shows Minang character. I think that the two "horns" at the end are signs of Minagkabau influence. Also the design on the pendok is seen in Minang erea. For comparison two pictures from a Minangkabau house and the door of the same house.

Regards,
Detlef