Need Identification Help - Oriental Knife & Scabbard

I have had this item for a really long time but have no info on how to identify it, how old it is or what it may be worth. Any assistance would be appreciated. The knife and scabbard are 18.5 inches long. The scabbard is made of a dark hardwood with a brass covering. The knife blade is rusted but extremely sharp and the underside of the handle has carvings. The knife handle is either an extremely hard wood or perhaps stone that is reddish brown in color. Photos attached of knife both in and out of the scabbard as well as close ups of the handle. Thank you in advance to anyone who can provide any info about this item.

 

@Any Jewelry is the expert.

 

Welcome, @MacGal.

Your item is a "keris", a traditional knife from Indonesia. As Hollyblue said, another member, Any Jewelry, knows a great deal about these and she has "tagged" her. It may take a few days for her to respond, so please be patient. In the meantime, @komokwa may be able to provide some helpful information.

 

here's what AJ said to me.......
about mine..

Wait until she sees yours..


komokwa said: ↑
the other from a friend, who in trying to be helpful.....cleaned it .....kinda !

I'll let @Any Jewelry explain why he did me no favour ........
File marks!
Taking a file to a keris is like taking a file to an elderly relative.
↑



interesting that the handles are carved very similarly ...!
Both are Solo/Surakarta style Nunggak Semi hilts, a standard model, originally developed in Demak to make a political statement.

The background, rather Shakespearean:
After the grand old East Javanese Medieval Majapahit empire fell apart, there were only two legitimate heirs, the royal houses of Demak and Cakraningrat/Madura (my lot).
However, the Central Javanese house of Mataram II, who used the name of an older, non-related dynasty in an effort to improve their status, wanted to rule over the former Majapahit lands.
The house of Demak, as a subtle sign that they were the true heirs (together with the Cakraningrat of Madura), had a hilt designed as a symbol of their position. It was the Nunggak Semi, which means sprouting tree trunk.
The sprouting tree trunk symbolism means that the house of Demak sprouted from the tree trunk of Majapahit.
You see an old, archaic-looking mask at the bottom, that is Majapahit, steeped in history. Above it is a more detailed 'younger' mask, that is Demak. Together they are one, and they form one person (hilt) who bends his head in reverence for the higher power.
The Nunggak Semi hilt became hugely popular across Java and West Madura, and two styles evolved. One is your hilt type, the Solo style, used throughout Java and West Madura. The other is the smaller and straighter Djokja hilt, used in the territory of Yogyakarta.

 

there's something strange about your blade......