Huge panabas for comment
 

I received this Panabas last week.
It's 96 cm/38 inch long and was quite rusty so I have started to clean it.
When I look in my reference books I can't find the blade form in any of them. The blade looks almost like a Parang Pattani, without the spike?
Do you think there has originally been brass in the holes?

All comments appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael

that's a monster alright. how thick is the spine closest to the hilt?

It's 5 mm. Almost the same all the way to the bend and after that it is less wide.
The equilibrium is 2/3 from the hilt before the bend.

Michael

I may well be wrong, but this seems to have an Indonesian feel to it, with the patterning in the blade seeming inconsistant with othre Moro panabas.On the other hand, my giant kampilon blade has two inlaid silver dragons facing each other on each side that have an almost Thai flair tro them, and I suspect that the blade may well be 18th century, so don't rule out a Moro piece.
Another very nice and interesting piece....very nice find!
Michael, a question, if I may...are the holes on one side only or do they go all the way through?
If the latter, often bronze or steel rings went through them, sometimes with bells or other items attached.
Mike

Thanks Mike,

The holes go all the way through.

Michael

Looks like a panabas to me. The engraving is pretty typical and similar to work still being done; not sure how far back the style of work goes, but someone else probably knows. Were rings and such used on panabas? I'd though that was more a mainland thing? Maybe there was silver in the holes; something more worth someone's while to take out?

Right , it's a Moro panabas no doubt .

I'm going to be the heretic here and take the heat .
I think it's a post WWII piece .

Better pictures of the handle and ferrule would be very helpful in determining age .

it sounds kinda thin for its size but then again the heft itself might compensate for the blade's thickness. now would this be more of a ceremonial type rather than the field type? the okir designs on the blade is mesmerizing, tho. mike, is it okay if could you post a close up of the design itself? btw, do you know if the blade is laminated?

Here are some close ups.
It's thin but it still is quite heavy. Can't see how it would be useful as a weapon if it was thicker/heavier?
When I "try it out" it has a nice swoosh when doing circular strikes.
It has more of a Kampilan feeling than that of a regular sized Panabas.
Rick, do you base the post WWII feeling on the size or something else?

Thanks,

Michael

Hi Michael ,
I based my initial opinion on the blade and its shape and decoration .

Is that brass ferrule really thick material ?
Often large Kampilan were bound with heavy iron bands .
Usually kampilan blades are inserted into a cut in the hilt so they need lots of reinforcement to take the stresses of use ; thin brass IMO wouldn't really do the job too well .

It's a bit of a puzzle ; could the bands on the handle possibly be silver ?
Fancy blade and a fairly plain hilt makes me scratch my head a little ; it seems incongruous . :confused:

The hilt does look genuinely old though . :confused:

BTW great spear that you got from Lew ! :)

Hi Rick,

The ferrule is thick brass and the other rings are also brass but thinner.
Actually they are thinner than the iron rings on my more "normal" other Panabas (that has a more chubby but shorter blade)?

Thanks on the spear. I am very happy about it because it's very hard to find anything else than Indonesian spears here in Europe.

Michael