Featured 3 Swords from Java? Need help with identification/dates please

I sleep a lot, so you're in with a chance.

 

Doing a little reading on my own:

... the keris is widely believed to be endowed with mystical powers. How would you like to be able to eliminate your enemy by simply thrusting the keris into the enemy's footprints?

With folklore like that, how could you not love them, @Any Jewelry

 

Right again gotta love those keris.

 

Wow, I am so impressed and thankful. We moved all day today and I will be back at the house on Tuesday so can get more photos of the blades, etc., that you requested. I am so excited. But I am also so very tired that I can’t digest this yet. So, more coming next week!!!

 

Nope, no more blades!!! I wish. Can’t wait to go take another close look and get the pics for all of you...

 

Just to show that a keris can be a good keris without clear damascene-like pamor, two of my prized beauties. Both are meditation kerises.
The absence of a clear pattern means the maker had to be good enough to make a perfectly shaped keris. These are made by 'empu keris', master keris smiths who were also mystics. Empu keris were held in very high regard, and often married into royalty.

The first one has a pamor putih, or white pamor. The entire surface is pamor metal (the greyish metal which usually causes the light designs on a blade).
White kerises are extremely rare and used to be highly sought after by the nobility of Java and Madura. They stand for the quest for cosmic enlightenment.
When Western collectors started to classify pamor patterns in the late 19th century, the emphasis shifted to strong pamor patterns, and the old appreciation and valuation was forgotten. The only mention I ever found of the significance of pamor putih was in a 19th century book on Javanese spirituality, which shows how unknown it is.
This beauty was formerly owned by a well-known Dutch-Indonesian musician who was a bit of a mystic as well. After his passing the family wanted a good home for the white keris, not just any collector. That is how it came to me.



You can see that is made in the same way as the usual blades, with the metal being folded and worked many times, causing those tiny patterns. The 'ganja wilut' or wavy crosspiece is also a valued detail.


Next is a black keris. Like the white one it has a real pamor pattern, just intentionally black. Black kerises stand for looking for enlightenment within yourself. They are also rare, but not as much so as white kerises.

 

@Any Jewelry I can’t wait to go look at my 3 swords and compare them to what you have here. We left them hanging on the wall at my sister’s house. Your swords are so incredibly beautiful and the fact that you have researched and really know what they meant, is wonderful. What a treasure you are to share all of what you know and have with us! Blessings to you, my friend...

 

If I had found them I would have grabbed them in a heart beat ! With the Philippine edged weapons, the older tourist ones were really nice , and even "tourist" ones are a relative term as Americans were bringing these home since at least 1898 ( The Philippine ones ) , and any smart weapons maker would have been banging these out for the yankee dollar post 1899. In 2002 in Davao you could actually find some Philippine edged weapons that sort of fell in between , maybe tourist trade items made in the 1940- 1950 period. These days , just a lot of Tourist items made to look old with American period coins embedded in the handles. A few "real" ones in "antique" shops, at huge prices.
Lots of similarities in style especially in the Moro weapons , the swords. I have a Panabas I bought at auction here in California that was listed in the catalog as an "ethnic Machete" that is 1900 period and beautiful and cost me a whole $65 .... my prize in my small collection.

 

Wonderful, Fireman, and that is often the way to find treasures, when people don't really know what it is.
There are more keris from my collection on the forum, if you enter keris in the search box at the top of the page, you will find them.
Here is one:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/rare-women’s-keris-from-east-java.18187/

 

Almost zakly whut ah wiz gonna say but... (LIAR!). : c ) )

 

I know I need to get some more pics EXACTLY as you requested (underside of the sheath) but I hope to do that tomorrow. Here are 2 close-ups of the bejeweled hilt sword... (I was unpacking all day today and am pooped...)

 

It is a lovely blade. Antique, older than the dress, which is more of the souvenir type. The jewels are glass set in brass.
It has 11 curves, which is said to promote confidence and leadership qualities.

Balinese keris are not my forte, but the pamor pattern looks like a Balinese version of Kulit Semangka, 'water melon skin'. It is a very popular pamor, and one of the easier ones to make, with 16-24 layers.
Kulit Semangka can be used by anyone (some pamors are reserved for specific professions), and is worn to promote easy social interaction and a way of making a living without too many difficulties.

Forging a good keris used to take time, even if it 'only' had 16 layers. Working on a good keris was only done on specific auspicious days, after long meditation.
Very few keris makers still work like that, which is why they are never considered master keris makers. They are not held in the same regard as the mystics called Empu Keris.

 

When my life calms down, I am going to go back and copy all of your wonderful analysis into one spot and keep it in a file cabinet for the next person who inherits this collection. With no heirs (my sis and I did not have children), that will be very interesting as our household items will most likely be sold off or given away... Thank you so very much for taking the time to respond. This has been such an education! I will post more pics at some point!!!

 

Pleasure, I am glad to be of help. Take your time, I know you have a lot on your plate right now.

 

I don't...& I'll start a new thread for the keris I just got....later...

 

Where, where! Are we there yet?

 

shortly.....

 

3 keris I came across in the week and if they are any good? I'd be forever greatful, or I could start a new post?