A real bargain --- maybe.

A. G. Maisey · 7th July 2009, 04:54 AM

Those of you who know me well also know that I am never --- well, almost never --- brave enough to gamble on Ebay. I say "almost", because I have bought two items off Ebay that I had originally sold, and that I knew to be good.

This item recently finished in Ebay:-

280363859071

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....lenotsupported

I have seen a lot of these East Javanese scabbards.

They have invariably been made from mamas, a metal that looks very much like silver, but is in fact more like nickel silver or german silver in its composition.

I have never seen one that had been made from true silver.

Whoever won this keris on Ebay either has something of much greater value than what he has paid for it, or -----.

harimauhk · 7th July 2009, 07:48 AM

Wow, that does look like a good deal if it is real silver. I looked at the auction while it was running, but didn't find the overall package particularly attractive (partially because I've bought a ton of stuff over the last month and can't afford anymore).

Rick · 8th July 2009, 07:04 PM

Pictures added before it's too late .

Sajen · 8th July 2009, 10:19 PM

Hello Mr. Maisey,

I have a similar sheat, sandang walikat, and I believe that it is also from real silver. I never know before that this is rare. And in Surabaya I have seen one in gold some years ago.
Here are some fast snapshots from the sheat. The sheat is heavily used and the cap at the mouth is missing. The front is cleaned but get back to black very soon while the back of the sheat is uncleaned.

sajen

A. G. Maisey · 9th July 2009, 01:41 AM

G'day Sajen --- and anybody else reading this.

Over the years I have had a lot of these scabbards, I don't know how many, but a lot. Twenty or thirty years ago they were pretty easily obtainable in East Jawa in Surabaya and Malang. I've seen many that I did not buy or that were not for sale. I've tried to estimate the total number I have either seen or owned, and as near as I can figure its probably between 200 and 300.

I have never seen one made of silver.

When I was green I did buy one that was sold to me as silver, and I believed that it was silver until I tested it a long time after I bought it.

I have seen one made of gold. It was reputedly owned by president Sukarno was was offered to me during the 1990's for much more than I could afford.

But I have never seen one made of silver.

Yours may well be silver if it goes black easily, but the only way you will know for sure is by testing it with silver test fluid.

Sajen · 9th July 2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

G'day Sajen --- and anybody else reading this.

Over the years I have had a lot of these scabbards, I don't know how many, but a lot. Twenty or thirty years ago they were pretty easily obtainable in East Jawa in Surabaya and Malang. I've seen many that I did not buy or that were not for sale. I've tried to estimate the total number I have either seen or owned, and as near as I can figure its probably between 200 and 300.

I have never seen one made of silver.

When I was green I did buy one that was sold to me as silver, and I believed that it was silver until I tested it a long time after I bought it.

I have seen one made of gold. It was reputedly owned by president Sukarno was was offered to me during the 1990's for much more than I could afford.

But I have never seen one made of silver.

Yours may well be silver if it goes black easily, but the only way you will know for sure is by testing it with silver test fluid.

Hello Mr. Maisey,

I will let test it and will report the result at this place.

sajen

A. G. Maisey · 9th July 2009, 10:44 AM

Thanks Sajen, I'll be interested to see the result.

You know, a little bottle of silver test fluid is a real good investment for people like us. Where I live it costs next to nothing, a bottle will last for years, and it allows instant identification of anything that looks like, or is claimed to be silver.

Sajen · 9th July 2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Thanks Sajen, I'll be interested to see the result.

You know, a little bottle of silver test fluid is a real good investment for people like us. Where I live it costs next to nothing, a bottle will last for years, and it allows instant identification of anything that looks like, or is claimed to be silver.

Dear Mr. Maisey,

I will look for where I can buy it in Germany.

sajen

A. G. Maisey · 9th July 2009, 02:12 PM

Over here, jewellers supply houses sell it.

Sajen · 9th July 2009, 04:03 PM

Hello Mr. Maisey,

the question if my sheat is from silver or not don't let me quiet, so I just come back from a goldsmith: My sheat is from high grade silver!

Never know before that I have something real special with this sheat. What's funny, I buy this sheat some years ago here in Germany on weapon market and not in Indonesia.

I ask him also if he can sell the silver-test to me. This is not possible in Germany because it is a risky acid.

A. G. Maisey · 10th July 2009, 12:25 AM

That's great Sajen.

As I said, I have never seen or handled one of these in silver.

You often find good things outside Indonesia, and with older items it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good things within Indonesia --- and when you do, they want an arm and a leg for them.

You can't buy acid?

That silver test is not particularly strong.Really gives me a pain the way modern society is so set on protecting people from themselves. If it was up to me I would not ban anything --- except maybe seat belts. All the fools would soon kill themselves and we'd have a better gene pool.

Sajen · 10th July 2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

That's great Sajen.

As I said, I have never seen or handled one of these in silver.

You often find good things outside Indonesia, and with older items it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good things within Indonesia --- and when you do, they want an arm and a leg for them.

You can't buy acid?

That silver test is not particularly strong.Really gives me a pain the way modern society is so set on protecting people from themselves. If it was up to me I would not ban anything --- except maybe seat belts. All the fools would soon kill themselves and we'd have a better gene pool.

Hello Mr. Maisey,

the goldsmith test it like I have seen it many times by gold-test, he cratch some material at a schist stone and then he put this acid on and it get a red colour, the sign that it is silver like he told me.

I think that I will found a way to get the silver test, it will need maybe some time, but what I want to get normally I get.
And I agree with you complete, the state going to incapacitate the people and forbid them nearly everything.

sajen

7th July 2009, 04:54 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,730	A real bargain --- maybe. Those of you who know me well also know that I am never --- well, almost never --- brave enough to gamble on Ebay. I say "almost", because I have bought two items off Ebay that I had originally sold, and that I knew to be good. This item recently finished in Ebay:- 280363859071 http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....lenotsupported I have seen a lot of these East Javanese scabbards. They have invariably been made from mamas, a metal that looks very much like silver, but is in fact more like nickel silver or german silver in its composition. I have never seen one that had been made from true silver. Whoever won this keris on Ebay either has something of much greater value than what he has paid for it, or -----.

8th July 2009, 07:04 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,265	Pictures added before it's too late . Attached Images

8th July 2009, 10:19 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,550	Hello Mr. Maisey, I have a similar sheat, sandang walikat, and I believe that it is also from real silver. I never know before that this is rare. And in Surabaya I have seen one in gold some years ago. Here are some fast snapshots from the sheat. The sheat is heavily used and the cap at the mouth is missing. The front is cleaned but get back to black very soon while the back of the sheat is uncleaned. sajen Attached Images

7th July 2009, 07:48 AM	#2
harimauhk Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 88	Wow, that does look like a good deal if it is real silver. I looked at the auction while it was running, but didn't find the overall package particularly attractive (partially because I've bought a ton of stuff over the last month and can't afford anymore).

9th July 2009, 01:41 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,730	G'day Sajen --- and anybody else reading this. Over the years I have had a lot of these scabbards, I don't know how many, but a lot. Twenty or thirty years ago they were pretty easily obtainable in East Jawa in Surabaya and Malang. I've seen many that I did not buy or that were not for sale. I've tried to estimate the total number I have either seen or owned, and as near as I can figure its probably between 200 and 300. I have never seen one made of silver. When I was green I did buy one that was sold to me as silver, and I believed that it was silver until I tested it a long time after I bought it. I have seen one made of gold. It was reputedly owned by president Sukarno was was offered to me during the 1990's for much more than I could afford. But I have never seen one made of silver. Yours may well be silver if it goes black easily, but the only way you will know for sure is by testing it with silver test fluid.

9th July 2009, 10:44 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,730	Thanks Sajen, I'll be interested to see the result. You know, a little bottle of silver test fluid is a real good investment for people like us. Where I live it costs next to nothing, a bottle will last for years, and it allows instant identification of anything that looks like, or is claimed to be silver.

9th July 2009, 02:12 PM	#9
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,730	Over here, jewellers supply houses sell it.

9th July 2009, 04:03 PM	#10
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,550	Hello Mr. Maisey, the question if my sheat is from silver or not don't let me quiet, so I just come back from a goldsmith: My sheat is from high grade silver! Never know before that I have something real special with this sheat. What's funny, I buy this sheat some years ago here in Germany on weapon market and not in Indonesia. I ask him also if he can sell the silver-test to me. This is not possible in Germany because it is a risky acid.

10th July 2009, 12:25 AM	#11
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,730	That's great Sajen. As I said, I have never seen or handled one of these in silver. You often find good things outside Indonesia, and with older items it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good things within Indonesia --- and when you do, they want an arm and a leg for them. You can't buy acid? That silver test is not particularly strong.Really gives me a pain the way modern society is so set on protecting people from themselves. If it was up to me I would not ban anything --- except maybe seat belts. All the fools would soon kill themselves and we'd have a better gene pool.