A very fine, robust, and well preserved Malaysian Keris.
This example is from the southern penisular states, Johor coastal regions, in the Riau Island chain and southern Straits region.
The dress is typical for the region, a sampir style seen throughout Sumatra's east coast, Riau and Johor. The influences of style travelled far and wide along the Maratime Silk Road and it is not often an easy task in identifying keris origins in high traffic maritime areas, relevant to the age of the keris.
At face value the dress appears to be the deirable Kemuning Kettenga wood, but as a colleague pointed out, it looked to be painted in this manner, which is no small feat.
Very close examination shows evidence of a lacquer at the sampir opening for the blade, and it is only from this point that the apprecation for the artists ability to replicate this timber grain can be fully appreciated.
The artist responible for this lacquer had a high level of skills to create this appearance and its seamless application.
Lacquer work is known on keris dress and Keris Hulu. The most notable being the lacquered and gilded Penghulu dress of Jambi, and more recently, applied lacquer techniques revived by the late Nik Rashiddin Nik Hussein.
The blade is exceptional in hand. The high 17 luk count is extremely rare as are the acute luks. The luk form are known, although only seen in a particular subset of keris not commonly found.
By design the blade has a strong Bugis Sulawesi feel to it, suggesting the Pandai had strong Bugis ties within the southern Malaysian coastal settlements or it was bought to the region via maritime trade. It is very thick throughout with a balance point at the first luk which provides a surprisingly agile nature to such a robust blade.
The hulu is very striking with the timbers chosen and it sits within a large gilt bronze pendokok.
A complete original and untouched keris. Complete from hulu to butnut. it carries a rare blade type and luk count and displays some of the rarer aspects of Malaysian keris craft with the applied lacquer to the sampir.
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