Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
The Himalayas and South-East Asia, Room 47a

Dagger

Dagger and Sheath
1700-1800 (made)
Place of origin
Perak (made)

Dagger (kris) with parrot hilt.


Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Metalwork
Object type
Dagger and sheath
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Dagger
  • Dagger Sheath
TitleDagger
Materials and techniques
Carved ivory; the sheath of ebony mounted with ivory
Brief description
Dagger (Kris) with Parrot Hilt and sheath, steel and carved bone, Perak, Malaysia, 1700-1800
Physical description
Dagger (kris) with parrot hilt.
Dimensions
  • Blade length: 42cm
  • Sheath length: 38cm
Gallery label
  • Dagger (Kris) with Parrot Hilt 1700–1800 The wavy pattern on the blade is made of two or more different steels, beaten and folded together when red hot. When cool, the layers are filed, polished and acid etched to produce the variegated pattern. The parrot form of the hilt is unusual for a Muslim state such as Perak, where most hilts are highly stylised anthropomorphic forms. Bone and steel Malaysia (Perak) Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.374&A-1950(14/06/2011)
Object history
IS.250 to 451-1950 and IS.1 to 7-1952, came from the collection of Mr. Richard James Wilkinson (1867-1941), who was formerly Deputy Governor of the Straits Settlement (1911 to 1916) and later Governor of Sierra Leone (1916-1922). He had acquired a collection of mostly Malay silverware and goldware, niello work, arms, etc. in Singapore and the Federated Malay States, which on 23 June 1919 was lent to the Indian Section of the V&A with the possibility of later making a bequest. A second loan of Malay brasswork followed on 31 October 1921. A total of 209 pieces were finally bequeathed to the V&A on 26 October 1950 following the death of his widow, Mrs Edith Sinclair Wilkinson.
Production
Perak
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.374-1950

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O451218/dagger-dagger-and-sheath/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest