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Post by Heidesskaar on Jan 27, 2021 1:40:23 GMT
I have no clue of what exactly it is, Seems handmade, forged , blade looks like has been washed with acid and is very eaten, ugly edge  , Design of hilt and pommel remind me of a chinese dao sword, but not the guard. There is also nothing on the scabbard to carry it, yet the fittings look old ? Do you think this of chinese origin? It's antique? It's a weird one, being sold for 50 bucks, not sure if it's worth the gamble tho due to the condition of the blade. I appreciate any help i can get, Sinceresly |
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Post by Jayhawk on Jan 27, 2021 4:42:49 GMT
Does the scabbard actually fit it? It's cool, weird and seems tossed together from disparate parts all at the same time.
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Post by Timo Nieminen on Jan 27, 2021 5:23:45 GMT
Indonesian, probably from Java. Hard to tell the age of blades like this, since they're deeply acid-etched when new. 20th century, but hard to tell if it's from the 1st half (under Dutch rule) or the 2nd half (post-independence).
It will be worn tucked into a waist sash, so no suspension fittings are necessary on the scabbard.
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Post by treeslicer on Jan 27, 2021 6:13:17 GMT
Indonesian, probably from Java. Hard to tell the age of blades like this, since they're deeply acid-etched when new. 20th century, but hard to tell if it's from the 1st half (under Dutch rule) or the 2nd half (post-independence). It will be worn tucked into a waist sash, so no suspension fittings are necessary on the scabbard. I agree with Timo. The sword type is a klewang, loosely based on Dutch originals. Judging by the fittings, it was probably made as a souvenir, but the hand forged folded-steel blade is authentic, and contains an amount of nickel to produce the patterning known as pamor. The etchant used would have been a mixture of an acid fruit juice (citrus or pineapple) with realgar (arsenic sulfide) to bring out the pattern in relief, and leave the nickel shiny while turning the steel black. I have a bottle of the toxic semprini in my shop, that I made for restoring Indonesian blades. That method, like the folded steel with pamor, is more usually used on kerises. |
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Post by Heidesskaar on Jan 27, 2021 12:41:10 GMT
That's really interesting, so the etching was done like that on purpose.
I think i will pick it up, if the blade is real and for the price seems like a nice curiousity to add to the display case.
Im curious tho about the thickness of the blade.
Many thanks everyone for the inpout!
Bless you
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Post by Heidesskaar on Jan 27, 2021 19:30:10 GMT
Actually i have found some similar examples, in shape and design, they are from the philipines. Luzon/ Visayan maybe? I'm in Spain, maybe it's a bringback from the Spanish colonization? That would make it from the 19th, tho and doesn't seem that old. Anyways here are they, cool stuff |
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Post by pellius on Jan 27, 2021 19:49:59 GMT
Very cool knives/swords
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Post by Timo Nieminen on Jan 27, 2021 21:51:01 GMT
Actually i have found some similar examples, in shape and design, they are from the philipines. Luzon/ Visayan maybe? Those ones are. The one above the Thai dha/daab is Visayan, and the others are from Luzon (at least, most of them). But your original one is not Filipino. The pamor blade and scabbard style are thoroughly Indonesian and non-Filipino. |
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Post by treeslicer on Jan 27, 2021 23:50:09 GMT
IMHO, the pamor style is kulit semangka ("watermelon skin").
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Post by Heidesskaar on Jan 28, 2021 11:29:06 GMT
It's interesting how these islands shared so much sword culture, i have read they all had their own version of the keris
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Post by treeslicer on Jan 28, 2021 21:44:34 GMT
It's interesting how these islands shared so much sword culture, i have read they all had their own version of the keris The area you refer to, stretching from the Malay Peninsula, through all of what is currently Indonesia, and north as far as southern Luzon in the Philippines, shares a lot of common history, and has been culturally connected by maritime trade and migration since prehistoric times. Making a long and complicated story short, all this area was settled by Austronesians in the late millennia B.C., later became heavily influenced by Hindu culture and religion, was incorporated in various Hindu kingdoms controlled from Java (whence the keris) during medieval times, then shifted to become Islamized from the 1500's. At about the time of Muslim influence becoming dominant, the entire area fell under the domination of Western European colonial powers, beginning with the Portuguese. IMHO, it would be very surprising if one didn't find common factors in the sword cultures present. |
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Post by Heidesskaar on Jan 29, 2021 12:35:43 GMT
It's interesting how these islands shared so much sword culture, i have read they all had their own version of the keris The area you refer to, stretching from the Malay Peninsula, through all of what is currently Indonesia, and north as far as southern Luzon in the Philippines, shares a lot of common history, and has been culturally connected by maritime trade and migration since prehistoric times. Making a long and complicated story short, all this area was settled by Austronesians in the late millennia B.C., later became heavily influenced by Hindu culture and religion, was incorporated in various Hindu kingdoms controlled from Java (whence the keris) during medieval times, then shifted to become Islamized from the 1500's. At about the time of Muslim influence becoming dominant, the entire area fell under the domination of Western European colonial powers, beginning with the Portuguese. IMHO, it would be very surprising if one didn't find common factors in the sword cultures present. True  Fascinating stuff, thanks for the insight! |
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