Rare Antique Javanese Indonesian Islamic Sword Dagger Kris Keris Pamor and Amboyna Burl
$1,500.00
Or Best OfferVery rare antique Javanese Indonesian Islamic short sword - dagger Kris, Keris with an old 17th–18th-century sturdy blade, hand forged with a beautiful Pamor pattern, and mounted in the hilt and the scabbard made from an Amboyna burl.
Amboyna burl is a precious and greatly prized wood that grows on the Narra tree, whose grains offer the most impressive contrast of all types of burl wood. It is considered the most expensive wood, with a value much higher than that of Timoho wood, which in former days was even more valuable than silver or gold!
The name Amboyna burl is after the Ambon Island in Indonesia, where it's believed to have originated. A burl is a deformation on a tree – many trees have them – that looks like a large round knot on the side of the trunk. It often appears like a branch that used to grow there and broke off.
Keris blades made of Pamor were highly valuable and considered timeless. They were passed down from father to son and used by the next generations. This meant that even blades dating as far back as the 15th century were still being used in the 19th century, albeit with a new 19th-century mounting. This practice was also common in Japan, where expensive old sword blades were remounted with new mountings and used throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
CONDITION: In very good condition, it shows age and use, mendak is a later replacement.
Please notice that the pictures in the listing are part of the description of the object's condition.
MEASUREMENTS:
Overall length with the scabbard: 55 cm (21.65 inches).
Overall length without the scabbard: 49.3 cm (19.41 inches).
REFERENCES:
1. "The Invincible Krises 2" by Vanna Ghiringhelli.
2. "Kris Gli Invincibili: Kris The Invincible [The invincible krises]" by Vanna Ghiringhelli.
3. "Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago" by Albert G. van Zonneveld.