Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


166 - Indonesian Short Sword with Layered 'Damascus' Blade, circa 1960s

Lew dated this Indonesian short sword, perhaps a Javanese pedang lurus, to the 1960s. The dark, etched blade is about 17 inches in length and is single-edged for about 7 inches closest to the hilt and becomes double-edged from there to the tip. A low central rib with a shallow fuller on either side extends from the tip to the transition. This midrib follows the contour of the cutting edge approaching the hilt and the shallow adjacent to the back is divided by another raised rib from about 4½ to the hilt. The dark, etched finish does not entirely hide the pamor of a layered blade and the layered construction is obvious along the back. The hilt and scabbard mounts are of proficiently embossed 'white' metal (possibly tinned brass or nickel-silver, but not appearing to be silver). A rain guard extends from the somewhat loose guard and overlaps the mouth of the wooden scabbard. Overall length is 24¼ inches with a weight of 18.8 ounces.




Return to item index page