JAVA ou SUMATRA

Exceptional ceremonial dagger - Kriss - with beautiful niello steel blade, the carved bone scabbard richly decorated in light relief with characters from the Buddhist and Tantric pantheon (men and demons) alternating with gold plates inlaid with colored stones on one side, the other side with gold plate decorated with flowers and foliage and silver part. The handle in carved bone representing a god decorated with gold plates inlaid with colored stones. 19th century L. : 68 cm These honorary objects that were passed on from one generation to the next were endowed with magical and protective powers. They were made according to very complex processes by specialized smiths. In this kind of ceremonial weapon, although the handle is the most spectacular part, only the blade was really important in the eyes of the sponsors.