SUMATRAN Keris

BluErf · 25th March 2009, 01:04 AM

The hilt form is not quite correct; this one here looks lampung. Anyway, the form is also not classic lampung, and the wood is very funny. Maybe recently made outside of Sumatra.

The silver works looks like they were not made in Sumatra. Motifs and refinement are not congruent with the ones I see come out of Sumatra. The buntut of the pendok is especially unusual. I see a lot of Palembang style kerises with this kind of 'double hook' buntut, but mostly the new ones dressed in Madura/Java. I have not seen an old Palembang sheath with that kind of buntut. I have seen old kerises with similar type of 'double hook' buntut from Palembang, but they come from further up north in Minang/Gayo area.

The sheath looks like it could have been an original old Palembang sheath, but re-sanded, thus losing a lot of its crispness. I don't agree with this approach; I think having a good form is superior to having a buffed out new-looking surface.

25th March 2009, 01:04 AM	#5
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	The hilt form is not quite correct; this one here looks lampung. Anyway, the form is also not classic lampung, and the wood is very funny. Maybe recently made outside of Sumatra. The silver works looks like they were not made in Sumatra. Motifs and refinement are not congruent with the ones I see come out of Sumatra. The buntut of the pendok is especially unusual. I see a lot of Palembang style kerises with this kind of 'double hook' buntut, but mostly the new ones dressed in Madura/Java. I have not seen an old Palembang sheath with that kind of buntut. I have seen old kerises with similar type of 'double hook' buntut from Palembang, but they come from further up north in Minang/Gayo area. The sheath looks like it could have been an original old Palembang sheath, but re-sanded, thus losing a lot of its crispness. I don't agree with this approach; I think having a good form is superior to having a buffed out new-looking surface.