Ethnographic Arms & Armour

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-   -   A Batak Anomaly? (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20182)

CharlesS 4th July 2015 10:38 PM

A Batak Anomaly?
 
5 Attachment(s)
Here is a short sword, or dagger, that appears Batak in every way except for the unusual scabbard mouth of carved horn, and the hilt of carved hardwood, neither of which look like typical Batak forms. In both cases the carvings are of detailed floral motifs. The hilt ferrule may be swassa, but I suspect is copper. The scabbard is held together by super thin rattan bands.

The piece definitely has some age and a nice patina and the quality is too good for a tourist piece. There is always the possibility that the scabbard mouth and hilt are later replacements, but I really don't think that is the case here, and they clearly are en suite.

Is anyone familiar with this style or have any ideas about it?

Details:
Overall length: 20in.
Blade length: 15in.
Average width of the blade: 1/2in.

kronckew 5th July 2015 12:30 AM

1 Attachment(s)
kalisan in fancy dress? (see malay blades )

Maurice 5th July 2015 10:59 AM

Hi Charles,

Congratulations with this very nice piece!

I think it is another divergent version of a kelassan indeed.
The blade is batak, and the copper/suassa sleeve also.

I don't know about the handle and horn scabbardmouth (which is looking like a conch/shell to me).
Looks like it had been made in the shape we find on sewars?!
The scabbard with rattan is also something that Batak used to do with their scabbards. I have seen many kelassans with scabbards like this with rattan.

How is the fit when you slide the blade into the mouthpiece? Is the opening correct according the blade?


Kind regards,
Maurice

Sajen 5th July 2015 12:05 PM

Hello Charles,

I am in agreement with the others, it's a kalasan and a very nice one on top of that. I've seen it by ebay and was thinking to bid byself since I never before have seen this style. I have seen this style of carving by sewars before, special this spiral carving at the scabbard mouth. Like Maurice pointed out already are this very thin wooven rattan bands are typical, one of my two kalasan examples have it as well. Thank you for posting this interesting piece.

Regards,
Detlef

Maurice 5th July 2015 12:20 PM

Sorry...... wrong post...

Sajen 5th July 2015 03:22 PM

After looking again to your pictures, are you sure that the handle is hardwood? Look very similar to the material at the scabbard mouth, i.e., horn.

Regards,
Detlef


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