very old type mandau

[Mytribalworld]

This mandau just slipped into my private collection.

I think a very old piece, quite small grip, very nice scrollwork on tip of the blade and scabbard decorated with big tufts of human hair.
note that with of the hairtufts the human skin of the skull is included!
it is a strip of about 10 cm long.

Arjan.

[Henk]

Nice mandau!!!

But is the hair and skin human or and probably more likely goat?

[Dajak]

Hi the hair on skin looks different


What makes it an very old piece ??

ben

[Mytribalworld]

Hi the hair on skin looks different


What makes it an very old piece ??

ben

Hi Ben,

I think its an quite old one because of the small hooked handle,the blade begins with some cm non edged wich is ending in a kind of rib,scabbard wich is rich decorated with human/goat hair ( I just found out that the lower tuft is sure human wich is thinner and softer than the second tuft hair on the skin.) and of course the dark patina .
As you know I visited the depot of Leiden last year, some very old examples there had also that small ( quite simple but attractive handle)
forgot to list some pics of the good side of the blade so here they are.
its decorated on both sides but the inlays are only on one side.

[Maurice]

Hi Arjan,

I like this one!

[David]

That's a nice mandau...but as one who has headed his djembe drums with goat skin fairly often i also concur that that is goat, not human hair. :)

[Dajak]

Hi Arjan small handle only says wich area because in the north Borneo part
the old handle s much bigger the leiden museum has not much from the north Borneo area in their collection because the part belongs to the Radja Brooke
And England and the Dutch where not really friends in that time.
And also metal below the handle also for the area they from not time.
But it is an very nice old mandau also good carved scabbard hard to find .

I will show later a picture when hair still is attached to the skin .

Ben

[asomotif]

Dear Arjan,

very nice mandau this one. I really like the hardwood scabbard.

For conversation and comparison, This mandau in my collection has a similar decoration on the blade.
It has an old tag attached saying mid 19th century.
For what old tags are worth...

This pictures is from the seller. I will make some more detailed pictures.
Also of the handle that shows some similarities.

[Maurice]

This pictures is from the seller. I will make some more detailed pictures.
Also of the handle that shows some similarities.
Hi Willem,

Did you finally take those more detailed pitures yet?????????:D

Best regards,
Maurice

[asomotif]

Hi Maurice,

No pictures, sorry
I totally forgot this thread, and so did others :shrug: (Ben / picture of hair)

It can be found in the sold items at orientalarms.co.il for the moment

Best regards,
Willem

[CharlesS]

Ben,

Could you produce a thread showing examples and details of older vs. later mandaus.

I think it would be very informative.

Some side-by-side examples would be excellent.

[Gonzalo G]

Hi, Mandaukudi. You have a very nice mandau over there. I have been reading you, speaking of sizes, but, may I ask you for some measures of your piece? How thick is the blade at it´s beginning? Sorry, I can´t figure mesures without knowing the proportions. Thank you very much for your attention.
Regards

Gonzalo

[Mytribalworld]

Hi, Mandaukudi. You have a very nice mandau over there. I have been reading you, speaking of sizes, but, may I ask you for some measures of your piece? How thick is the blade at it´s beginning? Sorry, I can´t figure mesures without knowing the proportions. Thank you very much for your attention.
Regards

Gonzalo

Hi Gonzalo,

sorry for the delay. the blade is 7 mm thick and 17 mm wide at the beginning.
the broadest part is 40 mm total blade length is 45 cm.

regards,

Arjan