Mandaya Dagger

[Bill M]

Seller's picture.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/Bill_Marsh/Mandaya%20Dagger/0d6b_3.jpg

12-3/4 inches in overall length,
14-1/4" in the sheath.
8 1/8" Blade about 1 & 11/16 Wide

While this has some damage I still wanted to get it as I don't have one now and this is a better then average piece and quite rare. I'll take some more pictures when I get it.

Mandaya a tribe near Mindanao.

"Mandaya" derives from "man" meaning "first," and "daya" meaning "upstream" or "upper portion of a river," and therefore means "the first people upstream". It refers to a number of groups found along the mountain ranges of Davao Oriental,

http://litera1no4.tripod.com/mandaya_frame.html#religious

[VANDOO]

CONGRADULATIONS :) THEY ARE VERY HARD TO COME BY I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET ONE FOR MANY YEARS WITH NO SUCESS IT WOULD SEEM THE PRICE GOES UP JUST A BIT OVER WHAT I CAN AFFORD EACH TIME I SEE ONE. I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THE METAL IS INDEED SILVER AND IF IT IS LOW GRADE OR STERLING GRADE. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A GOOD OLD EXAMPLE AND THOUGH IT HAS SOME DAMMAGE AND SOME SILVER MISSING IS STILL A VALUABLE ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION.
I ALWAYS WONDER IF THE FORM ORIGINATED FROM A SPEAR POINT BEING FASHONED INTO A DAGGER? IT IS ALSO LIKELEY THE SHAPE OF THE GRIP HAS SOME CEREMONIAL OR TRIBAL MEANING. IT REMINDS ME OF THE GILDED HORNS OF A ANIMAL PERHAPS THE WATER BUFFALOW? DOES THE TRIBE HAVE ANY OTHER CARVINGS REPRESENTING A HORNED ANIMAL?. THE TANG BEING EXPOSED AND OFTEN DECORATED PROBABLY HAS SOME SYMBOLIC MEANING ALSO. PERHAPS THERE IS SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEGE TO COMMENT ON MY OBSERVATIONS AS I HAVE NO REFRENCES TO SUPPORT THEM.

[Maurice]

Bill,

I like this one very much.


THE TANG BEING EXPOSED AND OFTEN DECORATED PROBABLY HAS SOME SYMBOLIC MEANING ALSO. PERHAPS THERE IS SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEGE TO COMMENT ON MY OBSERVATIONS AS I HAVE NO REFRENCES TO SUPPORT THEM.
I have no knowledge about the exposure of the tang, but could it be that they use this for hanging some symbolic things on, or some personal, precious, little things of the owner?

[Bill]

It looks like it could quickly convert to a spear.

[Battara]

I think it is the form of a person with raised arms. You also see this in an unrelated tribe in the north, the Kalinga, where their shields are in the form of a stylized human, 2 prongs down for legs, 3 prongs up for the head and raised arms.

I am quite sure it is silver mounts by the look of the oxidation and tradition.

Glad you got this one Bill.

Here are two old threads with great info:

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000548.html

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001052.html

[Bill M]

It looks like it could quickly convert to a spear.

Perhaps, though the Mandaya used socketed spear heads, not tang type. It does look like a spear head otherwise.


Jose,

Thanks for the good words and links

[Bill M]

Dagger arrived. Trying to decide whether to clean and repair or leave alone? The metal does seem to be a good quality silver.

[Gavin Nugent]

Nice images of a most unusual dagger Bill. I would give it a good rubbing over with a silver cloth to high light some of the craftsmanship hidden by the tarnish, but at the ned of the day, it all comes down to your own personal choice Bill, I know many here will say don't touch it.

Gav

[Battara]

I know many here will say don't touch it.

Gav
And I am not one of them - in this case it would restore it. Actually it would not be restoration but more repair.......

[VANDOO]

I WOULD PERSONALLY RESTORE THE BROKEN POMMEL PART AND REPLACE THE SILVER BANDS ON THE TWO POMEL HORNS AND LEAVE THE DAMMAGE TO THE SILVER ON THE SCABBARD AS IS TO SHOW THE WEAR AND AGE.

RESTORING THE BROKEN POMEL HORN COULD BE A DIFFICULT PROJECT BECAUSE OF MATCHING THE WOOD AND PATINA SO DON'T TAKE IT TOO LIGHTLY. BETTER TO LEAVE IT ALONE THAN TO GET IN BEYOND YOUR ABILITYS TO REPAIR AND END UP WITH A POOR REPAIR. :eek:

ONE ADVANTAGE YOU HAVE ON MAKING THIS REPAIR IS YOU CAN ARRANGE TO COVER THE REPAIR WITH THE SILVER BAND. ;)