New Gunong

[Rafngard]

Hello All,

I recently picked this one up from Epray, and while it's clearly not very old, it is (in my opinion) very pretty. Perhaps the prettiest gunong I've seen. Some one I showed it too at a recent Silat seminar said he though that it was "the kind of knife a doll should have. I see where he's going with that.

The wood pommel is highly chatoyant. The blade,after an attempt at a light etch, sadly doesn't seem to show lamination,also those luks are rather pointy! However, the rather fancy fittings appear to be silver, though I haven't done the bleach test yet.

I'm curious as to what the wood might be. Also, at a guess I'd say this is mid 20th century. Does that seem right?

Thanks,
Leif

[F. de Luzon]

Nice looking gunong! Looks like Maranao okir details (a bit crude on the belt clip though). The stripes on the pommel suggest that it's Banati wood.

[David]

I don't think those very pointy "luks" came into play until sometime in the 1960s, so it probably isn't any older than that. It could be much more recent though since high quality gunongs are still being made today. However, this piece does seem to ave a little age on it so i'd out it in the late 20th century.

[Rafngard]

I don't think those very pointy "luks" came into play until sometime in the 1960s

I thought that on gunongs, pointy luks came into play earlier than on kris. Am I wrong in thinking this?

Thanks,
Leif

[Sajen]

I thought that on gunongs, pointy luks came into play earlier than on kris. Am I wrong in thinking this?

I don't think so, compare here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpost.php?p=184943&postcount=95

Regards,
Detlef

[David R]

Nice piece, I wish it was easier to buy Philippine blades here in the UK. They certainly made some very nice stuff.

[Ian]

I agree with David on the dating of this one--late 20th C. The blade seems to have been made from monosteel using stock removal rather than forging.

Also, the "silver" has a yellow tinge to it in places, and I think it is probably a nickel-copper-zinc alloy sometimes referred to as "German silver" or "white brass." Older examples certainly had silver in them, usually derived from silver coins having up to 90% silver.

Nice looking modern gunong.

Ian