Southeast Asia, Indonesia, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A striking personal ceremonial dagger known as a kris or keris comprised of a slightly curved iron blade, a bent, an abstract, avian-form handle, and wooden sheath adorned with elaborate brass repousse sheath jacket. A brass spacer embellished with applied foliate decoration sits between the blade and hilt, while the wooden handle bends at almost a right angle and narrows to a point resembling a bird's beak. Size with sheath: 19.8" L x 5.9" W (50.3 cm x 15 cm); without sheath: 16.1" L x 4" W (40.9 cm x 10.2 cm); blade: 12.6" L x 2.8" W (32 cm x 7.1 cm)

Provenance: private New Haven, Connecticut, USA collection

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#176169

Some losses to applied decoration on spacer, as well as chipping to blade edge and wood shoulder on sheath. A few stable surface fissures to hilt, but otherwise kris is intact and excellent with nice preservation of detail and light patina in areas.