The Kris Tradition and Investment
Krises are now no longer the monopoly of the royal palaces. Since obtaining recognition from UNESCO as a part of world heritage originating from Indonesia, this instrument of luck and strength has now reached ‘star’ status. The business of buying and selling krises continuous apace. A new breed of collectors has appeared on the market place. What is interesting is that collectors now, especially young collectors, no longer hunt for krises because of the mystical powers associated with them, but more for their aesthetic and investment value.
Tempo records the pulse of the business in krises which continues to grow, with reports on armorers who still loyally guard the ancient traditions of kris craftsmanship as well as the center of kris production in Madura, which recently has come to dominate the market here and abroad.
June 15, 2011
THE kris collector Haryono Haryoguritno was carefully observing a kris with a golden Nagasasra Kintah blade. The kris with gold inlay had nine bends in its blade and originated from the Jogjakarta of Sultan Agung’s time nearly 350 years ago. Not long thereafter Haryono picked up another kris and looked at it: it had a Pasopati blade—a kris with a straight blade in the Surakarta style of Pakubuwono IX.
Both of the krises are from the collecti
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