Southeast Asia, Indonesia, ca. 20th century CE. A dark wooden kris handle attached to an elaborate kris blade, with a wood and brass sheath. The blade is iron, with gilded bronze on the sides and around the top, culminating in a floral, column, and zoomorphic-headed motif immediately under the guard. The wooden sheath is covered with a thin sheet of brass with low relief floral patterns on one of its broad sides. The handle is abstractly anthropomorphic, with what looks like faces on its inner curve. Immediately above the handle is a ring of nine white sapphires. Size of sword without sheath: 18" L x 3" W (45.7 cm x 7.6 cm); with sheath: 20.5" L x 6.55" W (52.1 cm x 16.6 cm); sapphires measure ~ 1/8" in diameter (.32 cm).

The kris is both a weapon and a spiritual object. The oldest known are from the 10th century CE; they are thought to have originated on the island of Java. In 2005, the kris became a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Provenance: private Strunk collection, Maui, Hawaii, USA

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#124728

Signs of wear from age and handling. Tiny knicks from bottom of the blade edges. Small scratches on the surface of the wood.