Wavy Knife in Copper-Clad Sheath; Tourist Stuff, or Better?

Length in its sheath is 19 1/4"; the blade is 14". There are no markings that I can see, save for the muted hook an' saw teeth near the hilt; perhaps a form of signature by the maker. Carbon steel with considerable temper, judging by the stiffness of the blade to gentle bending pressure, but not finely finished; lots of remnant tool marks, etc. The grip is carved, but again almost cursorily, compared to others I've seen over the years. The copper cover of the sheath is thin; its color tells me it has been acid-cleaned at one time, perhaps when made. it doesn't fit the large hardwood crown well, which shows alteration at their joint...perhaps it's even some sort of marriage. The inner sheath core is rudimentary in all aspects.
What, actually, have I got here? Thanks for lookin'!
@Any Jewelry

 

A keris of some sort. @Any Jewelry can tell you more.

 

Reverse image search brings up a motherlode of pictures of Javanese/Indonesian wavy blade daggers called a kris or a keris.

And here is a brief explanation of their cultural meaning:
https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/indonesian-kris-00112
The video won't play on my phone but it might play for you. I'm just able to read the text on the page.

If I remember correctly @Any Jewelry is a collector and connoisseur of these blades...?

 

Yup, she is. She's the only reason I know what it is, and knows more of these knives than the rest of us put together. It doesn't look like it has the finishing of one of the scary-good ones, but what would I know.

 

until she shows up......

scroll down...

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Whit-The things you have in your vault never cease to amaze. Punch-in that magical term 'Keris' on this forum and ye shall more postings.

 

As the others said, it is a keris, this one is from Java. The ensemble is a polygamous marriage though.

The keris itself, so the blade, will benefit from being ritually 'washed', but it is expensive to have that done, you will pay more than the keris is worth.
It has seven 'luk' or waves, which makes it fit for people who have to speak convincingly. Lawyers often had a seven luk keris. It is also an upright keris, so no modesty but a confident owner.
It could have been made in East Java, but that is not my expertise.

As shown in the link komo posted to one of my other posts, those are a feature of many keris. The hook isn't regarded as a hook, but given more flowery names like elephant trunk or 'kembang kacang', peanut blossom. And yours also has an 'elephant lip'.

'Anatomy of a keris':

The steel is layered by bending it multiple times. This was done on auspicious dates, so it could take some time for a keris to be finished. During the process a special layer was added which would ultimately result in the damascene pattern on the keris.
Over time that damascene pattern fades, but it can be brought back by a ritual bath.
As an aside, Indonesians don't test a keris by applying pressure to the blade. It is considered disrespectful.

I don't know exactly what you mean, but maybe the following provides an explanation:
A keris sheath is made up of the lower part, called the sarong, and top, the ship. The ship refers to the ship by which the ancestors cross to the other life. The ancestors look back to the land of the living, which is why keris hilts are usually turned the way yours is turned, looking over the short end or 'back' of the ship. The sarong can have a 'pendok' or decorative metal oversheath, but if the sarong is made of a special wood it is left as is to show off the wood.

The opening in ship of the sheath on your keris was adjusted to fit the keris, so it is a marriage.
The ship is of the Solo/Surakarta type, used in most of Java and part of Madura. The kidney shape is called 'gayaman', intended for regular use. It is a nice quality and it was originally covered with a 'pendok blewah', a metal oversheath with open front. It is possible that the open front showed a separate 'inlay' of special wood, tortoiseshell, snakeskin or silk.
The current 'pendok' is of the Djokja/Yogyakarta type, and lower quality than the Solo style sheath. A rounded piece has been cut from the ship to fit the current pendok.

The hilt is indeed a basic one. Stylewise it goes with the Solo sheath, but it is of lesser quality. This type, with the two masks, was first used in Demak, on Java's North Coast. It originally had political meaning, which few people know nowadays. I believe I posted the background somewhere on the forum, look for 'nunggak semi'.
The copper 'mendak' or hilt ring is fine, an average quality with nice handmade detail.
Collectors are after antique mendaks, because they are often damaged or lost and replaced by blingy new ones. I have one box just for good antique mendaks, which I treasure. When an antique keris comes in with one of those blingy new mendaks, I search through the box for the right replacement.

So your keris ensemble is polygamous, probably assembled by a seller or by a collector who wanted to offload some bits and pieces.
That said, the sheath is nice quality. The keris could hold a surprise, but it will never be a top blade.
None of the parts were made for tourists, but the current configuration may have been assembled for the tourist trade.

 

This is the type of open front pendok/metal oversheath it would have had:



This is one of mine, I think I have posted it before. It has a beautiful Naga on the blade and a very rare pamor (damascene pattern).

 

I had forgotten that excellent discussion, Komo...Thanks!

 

I am so grateful, AJ, for your patience in repeating so often what you have posted here previously...Komo has reminded me of your January 2023, amazingly detailed posts about Keris; I have re-read it.
Your collections are unique an' broad; your profound depth of knowledge about the history behind them is awesome, an' inspiring. In Japan, you would be among their 'Living National Treasures'...as you well deserve where you are. Thank you so very much!

 

Thank you for your kind words.

 

Any's keris looks "happy", if an inanimate object can look happy. The OP's doesn't.

 

it's nice enuf to be added to my Blade thread.... should you so desire !!!