Our Collection

We are proud to offer 31 lots of Krisses from Indonesia over the next couple of weeks. All the Krisses in this exceptional selection are generally ceremonial pieces, being intricately designed and some highly decorated with gemstones and precious metals. In superb condition, they are extremely rare and seldom seen or offered even at major auction houses.

THE KERIS (or Kris)

The Kris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia and the Malay World for at least 500 years. It is widely spread in the Archipelago, but has its origin in the island of Java. A Kris is typically a sheathed short sword or heavy dagger with a wavy blade and knobby hilt bent at about the middle to provide a pistol-like grip.
Unlike other daggers, it can be distinguished by the unusual widening of the blade just below the hilt. Both edges and tip are kept sharp and a damascened pattern – which in ancient times acquired a talismanic reputation – is normally embedded on the blade’s body. The pattern probably originated in Java where meteoric iron was used by the early kris makers. Even when purer iron was available, the ironsmiths continued to incorporate a proportion of meteoric iron into the blade to maintain its mystique.
It is associated with special power due to its blade pattern welding (pamor) and shape (dapur).
Javanese and Malay people believe it is inhabited by a spirit, and the choice of a good Keris goes with a thorough knowledge of the power, the magic and the wealth of each pamor and dapur to match your personality and needs. Some Keris are transmitted from generation to generation as pusaka (heirlooms).
A Kris region of origin can be identified by its hilt, sheath and blade.
Both a weapon and spiritual object, a Kris is often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck.
A Kris was worn everyday and at special ceremonies, with heirloom blades being handed down through successive generations. Yearly cleanings, required for as part of the spirituality and mythology around the weapon, often leaves ancient blades worn and thin. In everyday life and at events, a man usually only wore one Kris.
The Kris-smiths, called Empu (for those highly skilled smiths in the employ of Kratons (palace), who can pass down their title of Empu to their sons) or Pandai Keris (for smiths of varying skill levels, working outside of Kratons). Only the highest rajas (king/sultan/royals) were permitted to make and carry Krisses decorated with gold motifs.

Provenance

This Kris was bought in the 60s by the Dutch collector Adrien Noe who lived in Jakarta and Bali since the 1950s.
Most of the Krisses in the collection were reputedly sold to him by Jimmy Pandy the most noted antique dealer in Bali after WWII.
Many other Krisses were obtained by Noe in Karangasem from Anak Agung Djelantik the heir of the Lombok throne whose father was a powerful vassal of the Lombok regent during the wars with Holland in the 1960s.
Noe had houses on Sanur Beach / Bali.
Noe, who was an avid collector of Krisses and other Indonesian art, passed away in the late 90s. Because of illness and the wish to simplify his life he began selling some of his better pieces privately in the early 90s.
It and many other pieces from his extraordinary collection were sold by Noe in the early nineties when he sold his house in Bali.
We bought this Keris directly from Adrien Noe in 1995.
The remainder of his extensive collection was sold in the auction by Christie's in Jakarta by the Achianus Noe Foundation on 8 – 9 February 1996.
Similar examples can be found in a number of ancient collections including the royal family of Holland, the National Museum in Jakarta and the several Dutch museums.



Item no. 260 0003






Description : Kris Gold, Ivory, Diamonds, Red Stone or Glass, Iron
Origin : Bugis / Makassar, Palace of Bima, Sumbawa
Age : 17th Cent. A.D.
Dimensions :
  • Length: 50 cm
  • Width: 12 cm
  • Depth: 5 cm
  • Blade: 35.5 cm
  • with Handle: 46 cm

Weight : 575 grams

Remark : Handle damaged / cracked

Price : US$47,500

This rare and beautiful antique gold kris is one of only a handful manufactured in Sulawesi. In the 16th and 17th century, the courts of the Buginese and Makassarese peoples, both from southern Sulawesi, grew in wealth and power as their intrepid sailors crisscrossed the Indonesian Archipelago and beyond engaging in trade and pirating . Although they were never under the direct rule of the powerful earlier Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in Java and Sumatra, they did adopt their imagery in their remarkable krisses which are a directly related to the art of the late Majapahit Empire (13th to 15th centuries) in east Java. This is seen in the handle of this kris which depicts a princely figure, possibly, based on the shape of the curled form of the headdress, Arjuna, one of the heroes of the Mahabharata Hindu Epic.

The wrangka or upper part of the sheath is also elaborately decorated with a floral motif of Hindu-Buddhist origin. Its curvilinear ornamentation stands in contrast to the bands seen on the lower part of the sheath which ends with a flared foot. There is also a kris decoration attached to the body of the kris which resembles a loop in a rope and flower like roundel with a red stone.

The blade of the kris has 11 curves or luk. It is also decorated with gold embellishments and might possibly be of early Javanese manufacture. A kris similar to this one, now in the collection of the Dutch Royal House, was already documented in 1782. Another piece can be found in the collection of Amsterdam’s Tropical Museum.

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4 comments:

Unknown said...

I Very like' u krisi, can u send You office Adrees in mu email or u contac no in my email ariesrappang01@gmail.com

22 January 2017 at 21:25
Unknown said...

Hi i would like to purchase item no 260 0003 from u how can we make the transaction,please advise,thank u.

23 February 2018 at 13:02
Unknown said...

hi is this keris still available?

24 August 2018 at 02:04
Yan Narda said...

I have melayu kris gold kris.. contact my email..
Yan.narda@gmail.com

16 February 2019 at 12:10

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