The Javanese blade age guessing game

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:06 PM

It has been a little quiet on the forum and we did this once before and it seemed fun and informative. I am posting pictures of 5 Javanese blades and am curious as to thoughts about age. I'll post thoughts with each individual detail picture for sharing and to open the door for alternate opinions.

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:09 PM

So if I go left to right this first one has a very robust blade, very thick ganja and seems quite old to me. I would guess 17/18th century for the blade. I understand all,opinions are taken from pictures and are not to be taken as fact when there isn't the opportunity for hands on examination. Opinions are for fun and information.

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:11 PM

Blade #2 is a robust stout blade. It is a fairly recent addition so my apologies for it not being properly cleaned and oiled. Will get to that. My guess is that this one is 19th century.

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:14 PM

Keris #3 has a fairly thin blade. Seems to have been through a number of ritual washings in its life. Nice pattern with floating islands of silver pamor. I suspect this one is sneaky old. My guess is 18th century or earlier.

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:17 PM

Keris #4 seems a fairly ordinary blade. Not thin nor robust it sits in the middle from a heft perspective. Longitudinal pamor might grade up if it was in stain but as is seems fairly ordinary. I'm guessing 19th century to maybe early 20th century.

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:21 PM

Keris #5 has a fairly bold "chicken feather" pamor. It seems a lot of this style of pamor are contemporary. This one seems different because the feathered pattern is captured between the edge ridges. Not a good description of what I am seeing but hopefully the pictures illustrate what I am talking about. I don't know how old this type of pamor is but my guess is that it is fairly recent. So I will guess this blade is late 19th to early 20th century.

RSWORD · 31st October 2015, 08:24 PM

This is intended to be fun and share our guesses as to age. Again, caveat that this is being done from pictures on a computer screen so I won't hold anyone to it. Curious if folks agree or disagree with my guesses. I'm also curious if the consensus tends to be the same or if any of the pieces illicit a variety of opinions.

A. G. Maisey · 31st October 2015, 09:24 PM

Post #5, keris #4, is the oldest blade, the others I'm not prepared to give an opinion on, simply too many missing pieces and absolutely no knowledge of the history.

Just based on what I can see in the pics, I'd probably be prepared to place all except #5 into the 1800's, but there are a couple that could be earlier, and one that could be very old indeed.

But from pics?

Nope, not possible for me I'm afraid.

RSWORD · 1st November 2015, 03:26 AM

Alan,

Thanks for the thoughts. For the 2 that could be earlier and the one that could be very old are there additional pictures or information I can provide to help?

31st October 2015, 08:06 PM	#1
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	The Javanese blade age guessing game It has been a little quiet on the forum and we did this once before and it seemed fun and informative. I am posting pictures of 5 Javanese blades and am curious as to thoughts about age. I'll post thoughts with each individual detail picture for sharing and to open the door for alternate opinions. Attached Images

31st October 2015, 08:21 PM	#6
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Keris #5 has a fairly bold "chicken feather" pamor. It seems a lot of this style of pamor are contemporary. This one seems different because the feathered pattern is captured between the edge ridges. Not a good description of what I am seeing but hopefully the pictures illustrate what I am talking about. I don't know how old this type of pamor is but my guess is that it is fairly recent. So I will guess this blade is late 19th to early 20th century. Attached Images

31st October 2015, 08:09 PM	#2
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	So if I go left to right this first one has a very robust blade, very thick ganja and seems quite old to me. I would guess 17/18th century for the blade. I understand all,opinions are taken from pictures and are not to be taken as fact when there isn't the opportunity for hands on examination. Opinions are for fun and information. Attached Images

31st October 2015, 08:11 PM	#3
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Blade #2 is a robust stout blade. It is a fairly recent addition so my apologies for it not being properly cleaned and oiled. Will get to that. My guess is that this one is 19th century. Attached Images

31st October 2015, 08:14 PM	#4
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Keris #3 has a fairly thin blade. Seems to have been through a number of ritual washings in its life. Nice pattern with floating islands of silver pamor. I suspect this one is sneaky old. My guess is 18th century or earlier. Attached Images

31st October 2015, 08:17 PM	#5
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Keris #4 seems a fairly ordinary blade. Not thin nor robust it sits in the middle from a heft perspective. Longitudinal pamor might grade up if it was in stain but as is seems fairly ordinary. I'm guessing 19th century to maybe early 20th century. Attached Images

31st October 2015, 08:24 PM	#7
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	This is intended to be fun and share our guesses as to age. Again, caveat that this is being done from pictures on a computer screen so I won't hold anyone to it. Curious if folks agree or disagree with my guesses. I'm also curious if the consensus tends to be the same or if any of the pieces illicit a variety of opinions.

31st October 2015, 09:24 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,703	Post #5, keris #4, is the oldest blade, the others I'm not prepared to give an opinion on, simply too many missing pieces and absolutely no knowledge of the history. Just based on what I can see in the pics, I'd probably be prepared to place all except #5 into the 1800's, but there are a couple that could be earlier, and one that could be very old indeed. But from pics? Nope, not possible for me I'm afraid.

1st November 2015, 03:26 AM	#9
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	Alan, Thanks for the thoughts. For the 2 that could be earlier and the one that could be very old are there additional pictures or information I can provide to help?