Dagger and sheath (kris), water buffalo horn hilt, wooden crosspiece, straight iron blade, wooden sheath with silver casing, Malaysia or Indonesia, 19th century

Dagger and sheath (kris), with straight iron blade, wooden crosspiece and sheath with silver casing decorated with chased floral and foliated ornament, silver cup holding garuda hilt made of water buffalo horn.

Bequeathed by Mrs E.S. Wilkinson

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.

A Kris is a ceremonial dagger from Java and the Malay world. It has either a straight or wavy iron blade. Gold or silver casings on the sheaths suggest they were made for royalty or noblemen. According to Malay custom, a bridegroom dressed as a warrior king and wore a gold-sheathed kris in imitation of a sultan at his coronation.

IS.398&A-1950