Antique Malay Keris Melela – Blade & Pusaka
Antique Malay Keris Melela – Blade & Pusaka
This Antique Malay Keris Melela – Blade & Pusaka is a traditional keris from the Malay Peninsula, the Keris Melela is noteable for its quiet restraint without embellishments seen on many Indonesian keris. Rooted in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pattani across Northern Malaysia and southern Thailand.
Where Javanese keris blades feature high-contrast nickel pamor, the Melela blade relies on dark, homogeneous high-carbon iron. Blacksmiths forged these blades for functional strength. When looking along the length of a Melela, there is a thick central ridge running down the middle, flanked by deep shallow, rounded grooves forged or carved along the length of a blade. These carved grooves reduce weight while keeping the blade rigid for thrusting.
Standard Peninsular blade range 30–38 cm, with the majority of Keris Melela blades forged in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pattani falling into this mid-range. They were forged mainly for personal use or court wear. They were long enough to give decent reach but compact enough to tuck into a samping or waistband comfortably.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- AGE: Blade over 100 years, the dress could be later
- TOTAL LENGTH: 46 cm
- BLADE LENGTH: 31 cm
- WEIGHT: 450 gms
- CONDITION: There are some small worm holes on one side of the sampir
- #140
