Original Dutch East Indies Kris Dagger in Scabbard from the Island of Sumatra – circa 1900 Original Items

Original Item: One Only. The kris or keris is a prized asymmetrical dagger most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia, but also indigenous to Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Singapore. It is known as kalis in the southern Philippines. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade.

A kris can be divided into three parts: bilah (blade), hulu (hilt), and warangka (sheath). These parts of the kris are objects of art, often carved in meticulous detail and made from various materials: metal, precious or rare types of wood, or gold or ivory. A kris’s aesthetic value covers the dhapur (the form and design of the blade, with around 150 variants), the pamor (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with around 60 variants), and tangguh referring to the age and origin of a kris.

Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, considered to possess magical powers, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, a sanctified heirloom (pusaka), auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status, a symbol of heroism, etc. Legendary kris that possess supernatural power and extraordinary ability were mentioned in traditional folktales, such as those of Mpu Gandring, Taming Sari, and Setan Kober.

This example is not a modern tourist item, it is the real thing dating from the turn of the 20th century.

The key to identify the older blades is to be able to find the join at the hilt end of the blade as the horn was always added as a separate piece. Later examples and modern tourist pieces were always had blades made from just one sheet of steel. This example definitely has the separate hilt end of the blade, which is then brazed or welded on. It was however also polished, indicating later production from when more modern techniques were being used. This example was most likely brought back during WWII, when many Servicemen from around the world were present throughout the Western Pacific.

Each section of the Dutch East Indies produced the traditional Kris Daggers but each district, Java, Borneo, and others had their own characteristics. This area is today covered by what we know as Indonesia, Malaya and the Philippines.

The 21 inch blade on this example (25 3/4 inches overall) is made from high nickel content iron, often found in meteorite iron, giving a unique finish known as “pamor”. The iron was crucible forged, much like wootz steel, giving it a lovely gray laminated appearance on the blade, which can be seen in areas despite the polishing. Kris daggers with this type of “wavy” blade are typical for the island of Sumatra.

The blade is mounted in a wooden handle wrapped with embossed brass and copper, with a bone pommel held on by an embossed brass plate. There are various fittings wrapped around the grip as well.

It also comes complete with its original exotically designed wood scabbard (warangka), which has a large top portion that covers the entire blade, and the lower part (galar) has a brass bands holding it together, with a very nice embossed brass sleeve fitted over the top most brass band.

A wonderful example of a the legendary Kris dagger, ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 21″
Blade Style: Double Edged Wavy “Kris”
Overall length: 25 3/4“
Scabbard Length: 22″