Damascene and Pamor

BluErf · 16th December 2007, 03:54 AM

I do not have info on the date of when the keris was collected in Lombok.

But the needle did not hit any epoxy between the base and the ganja, nor between the ganja and the pesi base. Just metal.

Before the keris was washed, there were quite some rust on certain spots of the keris, some of them are compact spots of rust which have grown into the blade. In fact, after washing, some of these stubborn rust spots still remain. Some parts of the edge have gone serrated due to rust and old cleaning.

The sheath was made for this keris and has all the patina and gunk associated with old age. there were old damage to the bottom of the sampir as well, which has been smoothened with age. The inside of the sampir is old, dusty and patinated. Does not looked like it had been disturbed for a very long time. The batang has a long age crack at the back and ends exactly where the tip of the blade is. The buntut is lost and gone.

The previous Lombok owner had not washed the keris since he acquired it because there were spots of gold left on the ganja and gandik which he was afraid to fall off when washed. True enough, when it was washed, all the gold on the ganja fell off, leaving only the 2 spots on the gandik.

I can't tell for sure if this keris is modern production or not, but it certainly had a certain grace which the modern-day tukang from sumenep (ok, at least for the few good sumenep I have seen

) couldn't reproduce, for all their skills. If this is a new keris, I bow to the maker for his skills.

A. G. Maisey · 16th December 2007, 04:58 AM

Yeah, I do tend to be a bit too cynical at times, but if you'd seen what I've seen, and know what I know, so would you be.

It certainly does have grace, and taking on board the additional information you've provided, it might have some age to it.

Provenance can say a lot, and if you have the provenance,and its solid, then that's some assurance.

BluErf · 16th December 2007, 05:29 AM

But I do appreciate why we need to be cynical and questioning, because of the increasing problem of new kerises being aged and passed off as old.

Provenance for this keris is really a question mark. But in a certain way, it was comforting because the previous owner didn't associate the keris with some lofty origins or royal relations, which would have turned me off right away. It was just the keris, where it was attributed to, and his price.

A. G. Maisey · 16th December 2007, 06:34 AM

In the final analysis it all comes down to whether you're happy.

If you're happy, that's all that needs to be said.

16th December 2007, 03:54 AM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	I do not have info on the date of when the keris was collected in Lombok. But the needle did not hit any epoxy between the base and the ganja, nor between the ganja and the pesi base. Just metal. Before the keris was washed, there were quite some rust on certain spots of the keris, some of them are compact spots of rust which have grown into the blade. In fact, after washing, some of these stubborn rust spots still remain. Some parts of the edge have gone serrated due to rust and old cleaning. The sheath was made for this keris and has all the patina and gunk associated with old age. there were old damage to the bottom of the sampir as well, which has been smoothened with age. The inside of the sampir is old, dusty and patinated. Does not looked like it had been disturbed for a very long time. The batang has a long age crack at the back and ends exactly where the tip of the blade is. The buntut is lost and gone. The previous Lombok owner had not washed the keris since he acquired it because there were spots of gold left on the ganja and gandik which he was afraid to fall off when washed. True enough, when it was washed, all the gold on the ganja fell off, leaving only the 2 spots on the gandik. I can't tell for sure if this keris is modern production or not, but it certainly had a certain grace which the modern-day tukang from sumenep (ok, at least for the few good sumenep I have seen ) couldn't reproduce, for all their skills. If this is a new keris, I bow to the maker for his skills.

16th December 2007, 04:58 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,754	Yeah, I do tend to be a bit too cynical at times, but if you'd seen what I've seen, and know what I know, so would you be. It certainly does have grace, and taking on board the additional information you've provided, it might have some age to it. Provenance can say a lot, and if you have the provenance,and its solid, then that's some assurance.

16th December 2007, 05:29 AM	#3
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	But I do appreciate why we need to be cynical and questioning, because of the increasing problem of new kerises being aged and passed off as old. Provenance for this keris is really a question mark. But in a certain way, it was comforting because the previous owner didn't associate the keris with some lofty origins or royal relations, which would have turned me off right away. It was just the keris, where it was attributed to, and his price.

16th December 2007, 06:34 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,754	In the final analysis it all comes down to whether you're happy. If you're happy, that's all that needs to be said.