Moro Kris

Spunjer · 18th March 2007, 03:44 PM

was just wondering if anyone in this forum won this specific kris:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130085470287

i'm interested to know if the pommel is truly ivory, as the buyer described. it looks like kino's kemoh kakatua pommel kris he posted on this thread:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...2&page=2&pp=30

if a member won this, would you be kind enough to post some close up pictures of this kris, especially the pommel?

btw, the moro swords that were auctioned by that auctioneer defied any sense or rhythm, lol. what i thought was going for an easy grand, went for pre ebay price, and what appears to be a more modern kris went for more.

ebay. ya gotta love it...

Rick · 18th March 2007, 04:44 PM

Love the "Cane Knives" ......

kai · 18th March 2007, 08:45 PM

I'm sure Ron will like the Tabas - congrats!

Putting these Moro pieces on regular ebay would have resulted in a much better result for the original owner. And with next to no efforts invested, the auction house can easily live from its "buyers premia"...

Spunjer · 19th March 2007, 05:48 AM

thanks. been looking for a pair of cane knives like this in a while

kai · 20th March 2007, 01:07 AM

I could use one of these for splitting giant rattan...

kino · 29th March 2007, 08:45 PM

I won that Kris that Spunjer was inquiring about. The pommel is not bone. It might be Kemoh or a tooth of some kind. I'm no expert on Kemoh or teeth. The closeup photo of the pommel will reveal a pattern that doesn't fall into ivory or bone. Perhaps someone with a dental or marine biology can clarify this.

This Kris has it's Baka-baka missing. There's an aluminum band by the pommel which doesn't fit into the makeup of the Kris. Maybe the original one was removed with the Baka-baka. About 90% of the blade inlay is intact.

Thoughts anyone?

Spunjer · 29th March 2007, 09:40 PM

this was an odd lot... the one i got has a nice ivory pommel with brass grip but has a real cheap looking asang-asang. thanks for the pics, kino. that's the second one i saw with that not too common pommel. i'm sure it's the same like what you got. i kinda dig that kris but saw a familiar name.

kai · 29th March 2007, 10:00 PM

Wow, you really got a steal on this one, Albert!

I was eyeing this piece, too...

I'd agree that the pommel seems to be carved from giant clam shell.

Regards,
Kai

kino · 29th March 2007, 10:02 PM

Spunger, You got a good eye for Kemoh. Can you post photos of your
loot?

Spunjer · 30th March 2007, 01:21 AM

will do, kino, but might take a week or so. another question on that kris: is the ferrule carabao horn? it doesn't look metal.

Battara · 30th March 2007, 01:27 AM

I think that the material is elephant molar - but not necessarily fossil though darker pictures may help. I can't see the spacer well enough to tell if it is carabao horn or not.

Congratulations in any case -

kino · 30th March 2007, 05:16 AM

Kai, I was gladly surprised that I has won the Kris for that much.

Spunger, The ferrule is brass. The black wood underneath the rattan is showing by ferrule.

Battara, I have been entertaining thoughts of the pommel being elephant molar.

kai · 30th March 2007, 09:03 AM

Hello Jose,

Certainly not fossil molar.

Is recent elephant molar more translucent than clam shell? I was wondering because the light source in the pic seems rather week and I'm more used to more opaque giant clam shell...

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 30th March 2007, 08:12 PM

I respectifully have to disagree with you Kai. I do think it is recent elephant molar, again, not fossil molar. It can be translucent. The shell does not look translucent to me, but highly reflective. Again, lighting.

kai · 30th March 2007, 08:32 PM

No need to disagree, Jose - I'm with you...

I have not seen something carved from recent elephant molar, so I was just asking wether it tends to be more translucent. Some clam shell pieces I've seen were not highly reflective (possibly an age issue) but still notably more opaque than shown by the torch light here. Thanks for the pointer!

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 31st March 2007, 07:32 PM

I must admit, Kai, I had to look hard but I see layers nearly identical to the fossil molar ivory I have on my barong, and some layers are white translucent. Strange stuff.

Here is a picture of what I mean.

Jose

Spunjer · 3rd April 2007, 03:03 AM

pictures of the 'loot'.

in comparison with an older kris:

once again kino, congrats on that nice snag...

kino · 3rd April 2007, 11:46 PM

You made off like a bandit. That's a big hunk of Ivory.

I have one similar.

Battara · 4th April 2007, 01:10 AM

Spunjer, very nice. Are the hilt rings made of gold over silver?

Kino, that bottom kris with the dots in the ivory look familiar.......

Spunjer · 4th April 2007, 01:41 AM

not sure, battara. i thought it's brass. i reckon it'd be another trip to your basement, huh?

kino, one thing i find peculiar is the circumference of the handle; it's smaller than your typical kris. the one you got, reminds me of this piece:

nnniiiice!

kino · 4th April 2007, 03:05 AM

Battarra, It should look familiar, you made the top 2 replacement bands.
Great work as usual.

Spunjer, this ivory is not carved. It has 134 brass(?), dots peirced/inlaid
throughout the kakatua. BTW, that last photo, that is an amazing work
of art.

Battara · 4th April 2007, 07:11 PM

Thank you Kino - it was a pleasure.

Just to clarify (and raise the value of your piece a little

) the dots in the ivory are actually silver and not brass.

It is a large hunk of ivory as well and very nice.

18th March 2007, 03:44 PM	#1
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	Moro Kris was just wondering if anyone in this forum won this specific kris: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130085470287 i'm interested to know if the pommel is truly ivory, as the buyer described. it looks like kino's kemoh kakatua pommel kris he posted on this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...2&page=2&pp=30 if a member won this, would you be kind enough to post some close up pictures of this kris, especially the pommel? btw, the moro swords that were auctioned by that auctioneer defied any sense or rhythm, lol. what i thought was going for an easy grand, went for pre ebay price, and what appears to be a more modern kris went for more. ebay. ya gotta love it...

29th March 2007, 08:45 PM	#6
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 973	I won that Kris that Spunjer was inquiring about. The pommel is not bone. It might be Kemoh or a tooth of some kind. I'm no expert on Kemoh or teeth. The closeup photo of the pommel will reveal a pattern that doesn't fall into ivory or bone. Perhaps someone with a dental or marine biology can clarify this. This Kris has it's Baka-baka missing. There's an aluminum band by the pommel which doesn't fit into the makeup of the Kris. Maybe the original one was removed with the Baka-baka. About 90% of the blade inlay is intact. Thoughts anyone? Attached Images Last edited by kino; 29th March 2007 at 10:00 PM.

31st March 2007, 07:32 PM	#16
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I must admit, Kai, I had to look hard but I see layers nearly identical to the fossil molar ivory I have on my barong, and some layers are white translucent. Strange stuff. Here is a picture of what I mean. Jose Attached Images

3rd April 2007, 11:46 PM	#18
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 973	You made off like a bandit. That's a big hunk of Ivory. I have one similar. Attached Images

4th April 2007, 03:05 AM	#21
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 973	Battarra, It should look familiar, you made the top 2 replacement bands. Great work as usual. Spunjer, this ivory is not carved. It has 134 brass(?), dots peirced/inlaid throughout the kakatua. BTW, that last photo, that is an amazing work of art. Attached Images

18th March 2007, 04:44 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,262	Love the "Cane Knives" ......

18th March 2007, 08:45 PM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,218	I'm sure Ron will like the Tabas - congrats! Putting these Moro pieces on regular ebay would have resulted in a much better result for the original owner. And with next to no efforts invested, the auction house can easily live from its "buyers premia"...

19th March 2007, 05:48 AM	#4
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	thanks. been looking for a pair of cane knives like this in a while

20th March 2007, 01:07 AM	#5
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,218	I could use one of these for splitting giant rattan...

29th March 2007, 09:40 PM	#7
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	this was an odd lot... the one i got has a nice ivory pommel with brass grip but has a real cheap looking asang-asang. thanks for the pics, kino. that's the second one i saw with that not too common pommel. i'm sure it's the same like what you got. i kinda dig that kris but saw a familiar name.

29th March 2007, 10:00 PM	#8
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,218	Wow, you really got a steal on this one, Albert! I was eyeing this piece, too... I'd agree that the pommel seems to be carved from giant clam shell. Regards, Kai

29th March 2007, 10:02 PM	#9
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 973	Spunger, You got a good eye for Kemoh. Can you post photos of your loot?

30th March 2007, 01:21 AM	#10
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	will do, kino, but might take a week or so. another question on that kris: is the ferrule carabao horn? it doesn't look metal.

30th March 2007, 01:27 AM	#11
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I think that the material is elephant molar - but not necessarily fossil though darker pictures may help. I can't see the spacer well enough to tell if it is carabao horn or not. Congratulations in any case -

30th March 2007, 05:16 AM	#12
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 973	Kai, I was gladly surprised that I has won the Kris for that much. Spunger, The ferrule is brass. The black wood underneath the rattan is showing by ferrule. Battara, I have been entertaining thoughts of the pommel being elephant molar.

30th March 2007, 09:03 AM	#13
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,218	Hello Jose, Certainly not fossil molar. Is recent elephant molar more translucent than clam shell? I was wondering because the light source in the pic seems rather week and I'm more used to more opaque giant clam shell... Regards, Kai

30th March 2007, 08:12 PM	#14
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I respectifully have to disagree with you Kai. I do think it is recent elephant molar, again, not fossil molar. It can be translucent. The shell does not look translucent to me, but highly reflective. Again, lighting.

30th March 2007, 08:32 PM	#15
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,218	No need to disagree, Jose - I'm with you... I have not seen something carved from recent elephant molar, so I was just asking wether it tends to be more translucent. Some clam shell pieces I've seen were not highly reflective (possibly an age issue) but still notably more opaque than shown by the torch light here. Thanks for the pointer! Regards, Kai

3rd April 2007, 03:03 AM	#17
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	pictures of the 'loot'. in comparison with an older kris: once again kino, congrats on that nice snag...

4th April 2007, 01:10 AM	#19
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	Spunjer, very nice. Are the hilt rings made of gold over silver? Kino, that bottom kris with the dots in the ivory look familiar.......

4th April 2007, 01:41 AM	#20
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	not sure, battara. i thought it's brass. i reckon it'd be another trip to your basement, huh? kino, one thing i find peculiar is the circumference of the handle; it's smaller than your typical kris. the one you got, reminds me of this piece: nnniiiice!

4th April 2007, 07:11 PM	#22
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	Thank you Kino - it was a pleasure. Just to clarify (and raise the value of your piece a little ) the dots in the ivory are actually silver and not brass. It is a large hunk of ivory as well and very nice. Last edited by Battara; 5th April 2007 at 12:57 AM.