a Sewar cross-dressing as a Badik?
 

Hi again gentlemen...

Presented here was an unconfirmed, but could be quite an interesting case. Was this piece really a badik, or it is actually a sewar?

I found out that the spine of the blade (4th pix) was rather thick, something quite unusual for a badik, IMHO. I might be wrong, but that is how i feel about it.

Honest opinions are most welcomed. Hope we can learn much more with each other again :)

Clearly sewar! :)

That was my thought as well. Who implied that this might be a Badik to you? :shrug:

The dress it comes with... ;)

Still, with this cross-dressing, is this a good, average joe kinda sewar?

Pardon my knowledge, but is there anything clearer than the thick spine, to differentiate a sewar and a badik?

Both Badiks and Sewars come in a range of sheath styles. I see nothing in this sheath which would lead me to call this a cross-dressed sewar. The blade and hilt seem to clearly ID this as a sewar. :shrug:

Hello Moshah, could be a Malay sewar IMHO. Will post pictures of my sewar collection and as well from my badik collection that you can see the differents.

Regards,

Detlef

I was told that the sheath was not original to the blade. And usually for this kind of sheath it was supposed to be for badik. It could be my misunderstanding, and it could also be that the classification of badik over here in W Malaysia would slightly differs from its other neighboring cultures.

Since David has mentioned about the broader range of sheath styles, I think we can already conclude it is a sewar all right. However, this is what I initially thought on how a sewar's sheath would be...

I'd be honored to, Detlef...Thanks for the kind gestures... :)

That would indeed be just one style Moshah. Try the search function here or do a google image search under "sewar knife" and you will encounter many more variations and styles. :)

I've just did that, David. I've seen a lot of styles... :p

But if we google "badik kelantan", you'll find these style of sheath aplenty.

Or it could even what they called a sewar is, back there...that was really confusing... :shrug:

Hello Moshah,

here at first the pictures of my sewar collection, still missing some forms, for example the form you have shown in post #7.

And here the pictures of my badik collection, on the complete right a rare Selayer badik.

Beautiful collection, Detlef! I'm crazy about the scabbard of the sewar on the far right. Also really into the blade of the badik on the the far right - long, slim and central ridge all the way! :cool:

Thanks for putting them up!


All the best, - Thor

Hello Thor,

thank you. :) The sewar on the far right I "love" as well, very nice carvings to the wooden parts and smooth patina. When I received it once the blade have had a strong clove smell and don't lose it after all the years.

The badik at the far right is from the Selayer island, a similar example is shown by Zonneveld on page 74, pic. 286 and was discussed here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=badik

Regards,

Detlef

I have to step in and change the direction this thread is heading.

I Detlef posts more of his wonderfull collection we will all drewl on our keyboards and he will cause shortcircuiting on a worldwide scale ;) :p :D

As for Moshah question. his example is clearly a sewar blade/handle.
The scabbard is not very tyipical of sewars, but probably of a later date.

I checked my picture files and found this one which I sadly sold last year in search of cash. This example mor qualifies for the question.... :

SEWAR or BADEK,, what do you think ?

Best regards,
Willem

Hello Willem,

My vote would be badik.

The short vestigial fuller of the blade may suggest Sumatran origin/influence but that's about it; no sewar IMHO.

Regards,
Kai

Hi Willem,

first, thank you! :) ;)

Regarding your example i would say sewar with badik hilt. Maybe the original was broken and someone here or in Indonesia give it the badik hilt? :shrug:

Regards,

Detlef

Hello Moshah,

IMHO the thick integral bolster is a prominent but not sufficient requirement for something being a sewar/sewaih.

Your blade does seem to be a genuine antique sewar. To be frank, the heavy pitting seems to be from excessive etching (and/or neglect). If it were not looking like a pretty much lost case, I would think about reworking/repolishing/staining the blade. I don't think this is feasible with this piece though.

The fittings (including the hilt) look newly crafted to me and may well be Malay "repair" attempts.

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai,

by the hilt and maybe by the cross piece of the scabbard I would agree but the blade is more like the one from a sewar IMHO. But frankly said I never have seen a similar example. :shrug:

Regards,

Detlef

Agree, I also would repolishing the blade, it will look much better after this.

Agree, I also would repolishing the blade, it will look much better after this.

Couldn't agree more to this statement. It looks like a beauty pageant already!!! :D :D :D

Thanks for all the trouble you have in order to guide me, but in the way it seems to be a well mouth-watering eye feast as well... :)

Dear Kai,

Now I think I've got it right already. :p

Looking at it, definitely the edge was heavily corroded. To commissioned a reworking is a futile effort, I afraid, as the sewar's edge would be taken away too much from its original body, and that would not proportioned with the thick spine.

The hilt, FYI, was a white akar bahar. And I am also in the thinking that it is new and I believe you are right.

But then again I would like to ask, is the polished form (the clean, steel looks) is really a desirable state on any sewar? I've seen numerous examples on the net was in that state...

Hi, Willem.

Yeah I think the scabbard was a dealer's mismatch.

The fitment was telling me the same thing... :shrug:

Hello Moshah,

don't be afraid to do it byself, I have done it several times. Use sandpaper, first maybe 400 and go down to 1000 but do it with oil, you only get dirty fingers by this. After you have removed the corrosion etch it with hot vinegar. The complete procedure will take some time but is worth the effort. By this you can carefully reshape the edge also.

Regarding the hilt material I would say what I can see by your pictures that t is molar and not akar bahar.

Regards,

Detlef

The dress have a Malay look to my eyes, maybe of later date but not very recent IMHO.

Hi Detlef,

Thanks for the tips.

Well, the hilt looks like molar but it is akar bahar indeed. It is light, and there is a small hole on top which nesting some jagged thick, hairy-kind of material like braided ropes. I don't think molar would produce this.

White akar bahar was indeed even harder to find than sea ivory IMHO. It could be a pleasant surprise if it was an older hilt. Since it was brand new, it would be less valuable and "inanimate" - in terms of the Malay folks belief of it's otherworldly perks... ;)

You hold it in your hands and when you know both materials I have no doubt that you are correct. Also when it is new it's still a very rare material.

Indeed it is but sea ivory still commands higher price over here
:)

Your 4th badik from the left, was it sea ivory? I can see a slight pinggang / waist somewhere near the base before it started to get back to shape until tapering at the tip. Is that true or just my imagination?

I think what you see is imagination. And it is what I believe hippo ivory. See the close up from the hilt.

Regards,

Detlef

It also looks like the concentric layers are visible in the uppermost part of above picture? In this case I agree with you Detlef - certainly looks like hippo tusk. ;) :D The size and curvature also fits for a tusk split down the middle and worked into a hilt.

The patina is delicious btw! :)


- Thor

Oh, first time we have agreement in the ivory question! :D :D ;) And yes, the patina is really great and the pamor of the blade very fine, it is the best piece of my badik collection. I bought it many years ago in Indonesia to a time where I was mainly interested to keris.

Regards,

Detlef

I think the pamor make me think that way.

The blade, the dress and especially the hilt was really a feast to my eye!

One note on the hippo hilt - it was not easy to find one over here, as (i) it is rare all right and (ii) it was used in traditional medicine and shamanism, so they were really sought-after by many.

Actually, I've been told that all part of hippo would worth something in traditional medicine, so they never left anything behind... :eek:

Yes, I know as well about this. This is the reason why you can find keris hilts from this material where is something cratched awaway. Some Bugis dealer told me this long time ago.

Here some fast taken close ups from the badik. It is dated in down from the scabbard (but don't know if it is from 1938 or 1838) and it has a inscription in the back of the scabbard (maybe someone is able to read it). Unfortunately I can't show the pamor better.

No intention of giving it a good etch, Detlef? ;)

Hello Moshah,

not for the moment but maybe one day in the future. :)

Moshah, what you have is a badik most likely from Terengganu or perhaps Pahang. The badik Kelantan has a slightly different form blade and scabbard as does Pattani, which is different again. However, unlike badik from Sumatra and Riau, Northeast Peninsular badik do have a bolster or "mar" in local terminology and thus resemble the Sumatran sewar. I have not seen material like that used for your hilt but looks like s/t marine...possibly fossilized. I will ask around next time I'm up in Kelantan.

Thanks for the clarification, Dave.

Anyway I am still puzzled, how to ID this blade as a badik, not a sewar? Certainly I am not very much exposed to Badik Terengganu and Pahang, so pardon me, I guess it is kinda basic traits that I am missing here.

Badik Pahang was even a greater mystery to me. But it is good that you've brought this out, since I can learn a lot from you, as you've been to and fro in the Kelantanese keris scene even before their kerises was well received and well known like today...


Yup, to my knowledge it was a white akar bahar. Doesn't look antique to me, but definitely not a molar though. I'll post some close up pix later tomorrow.

As you will know from collecting for many years, identifying a piece is an inexact science that takes in a multitude of factors including form, materials and workmanship. That said, as a very general rule the blade of the badik Terengganu is usually somewhat shorter and less downward curving than the sewar. The tip also tends to be slightly more pointed. One must be somewhat cautious though as there are many more varieties of sewar and a great deal of difference within the varieites as well, so its often not an open and shut case. In your instance though I'm pretty certain.