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Post by alan on Apr 11, 2018 0:21:54 GMT
I bought this sword at an estate sale as my grandson collects swords. I submitted photos and a description (about 23 - 24" long) to an Asian weapons dealer who thought it was a talibong sword from the Philippines. The letters TPF were carved into the raised part of the scabbard where it looks shiny. The dealer though those were the initials of the person who made the sword. He said the carved head is atypical of talibong swords and thought it might be the creation of the sword maker. I thought it was reminiscent of the carved end of the handles of minasbad swords that I read about during my initial search for info on what I had. At first, I had no idea what the sword looked like as someone had glued the sword to the scabbard and also over areas of the string that held the sword in. I ultimately thought it more important to see the sword than alter it from the closed position that it came with.. The string was fragile and tore in a few places. I removed a lot of surface rust from the blade. If anyone can confirm it's a talibong or more properly identify the type of sword, state where it came from and its approximate age, describe its uses and lastly, its approximate value so we know how much care it needs, we would be quite grateful. Let me know if any additional info would help. I look forward to perusing this blog as one is never too old to learn. Thanks for looking at this Alan Somers, NY Edit = just noticed that the sword is signed Jose Dote (or possibly Date)
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Post by treeslicer on Apr 14, 2018 23:02:08 GMT
Yes, it's a very nice, good sized talibong from one of the Visayan Islands (Samar, Leyte, Bohol, etc.) in the Phillipines. Primarily a fighting knife with secondary use for chopping and butchering, etc. IMHO, circa WW2, though they have been made continuously from Spanish colonial times up to the present day. A photo of the other side of the blade would be nice, as would a shot of the blade alongside a measuring tape or yardstick. If you wouldn't mind, I could copy these photos to put in a thread over at the Ethnographic Arms and Armour forum ( www.vikingsword.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=2), and get some more expert opinions than mine. The value is the slippery part, but I'd say that the talibong you show is probably worth around $150 retail, possibly more if waved in front of the right collector. The slippery part is that where they are made, they're cheap as dirt.
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Post by alan on Apr 15, 2018 13:24:19 GMT
Yes, it's a very nice, good sized talibong from one of the Visayan Islands (Samar, Leyte, Bohol, etc.) in the Phillipines. Primarily a fighting knife with secondary use for chopping and butchering, etc. IMHO, circa WW2, though they have been made continuously from Spanish colonial times up to the present day. A photo of the other side of the blade would be nice, as would a shot of the blade alongside a measuring tape or yardstick. If you wouldn't mind, I could copy these photos to put in a thread over at the Ethnographic Arms and Armour forum ( www.vikingsword.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=2), and get some more expert opinions than mine. The value is the slippery part, but I'd say that the talibong you show is probably worth around $150 retail, possibly more if waved in front of the right collector. The slippery part is that where they are made, they're cheap as dirt.
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Post by alan on Apr 15, 2018 13:33:49 GMT
Thanks for the reply. My post does have a photo of the other side of the sword. I'd be pleased if you would send a request for info to the viking sword site. I would sell it if it's worth as much as you surmised. Thanks again Alan
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Post by treeslicer on Apr 15, 2018 18:18:48 GMT
Thanks for the reply. My post does have a photo of the other side of the sword. I'd be pleased if you would send a request for info to the viking sword site. I would sell it if it's worth as much as you surmised. Thanks again Alan Sorry, but you show only one side of the blade. The sides of a handmade sword are not identical, talibongs in particular, because they are chisel-ground. You also need to give separate measurements of length of the blade only, hilt only, overall without scabbard, blade max thickness, and blade maximum width, usually best done by using photos with a ruler or yardstick/meter stick. I definitely do like your oblique shot of the blade. Adding face-on blade w/hilt shots with measurements would make the layout perfect, IMHO.
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Post by treeslicer on Apr 15, 2018 19:07:44 GMT
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