Southeast Asia, Indonesia, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A beautiful kris (also keris), a personal ceremonial sword used throughout Indonesia. The figural wooden handle depicts a crouching deity adorned with high-grade (97%) silver finery as well as colorful stone cabochons. The forged-carbon-steel blade has a gentle serpentine profile, a projecting shoulder, and strips of lighter nickel hammered in. The wooden blade jacket is of a slender profile, and the ivory guard protector bears incised curvilinear details on the front. Size (w/ sheath): 5.9" W x 20.2" H (15 cm x 51.3 cm); (length of blade): 13.3" L (33.8 cm); quality of silver: 97%.

The ivory on this item pre-dates 1900 and was acquired long before the 1970 ban on ivory trade.

Provenance: private Rochester, Michigan, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#149474

Some silver handle elements reattached to handle, with light adhesive residue along some break lines. Minor abrasions to blade and sheath, with nicks to areas of blade and handle, and softening to some finer details. Nice patina to blade, silver, and ivory elements.