S.E. Asian dagger, help please.
 

I have just bought this through a buy it now offer, it just seemed a good buy. As you all know this is rather a leap in the dark for me. According to the seller the metal on the hilt is silver? I am not that sure. The blade is 11" long and looks pretty solid. The hilt is turned horn? Malayan? Cost two to three nights in the pub which does depend on how much you drink. Would the drink be a better buy?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...eeldagger6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...eeldagger5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...eeldagger3.jpg
[IMG]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...eeldagger2.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jamhappy/thwateredsteeldagger2.jpg[/IMG]

Tim

It's a nice tombak dagger :)


Lew

A nice tombak. probably a good pamor blade that needs a good etch. Hilt and scabbard made to give it a dagger look. But certainly not original.
Drink a better buy? Depends what you drink and most important in this matter, how much :p
I think you did well. Three nights a clear head and a tombak in your hands.
I don't dare to say, what could a man wish more :D

Thanks Henk,

Well a pint of lager in the south of UK is most often over £3. I have to admit to slowing down, age and waist line do not seem to be able to enjoy such pleasures so much these days. I was under the impression that all Tombaks are an adaption in one way or another so what would be original?

My mistake the blade is 6.5" which changes the dynamics some what :o . Still an okay thing I hope.

In my opinion a modern imitation of the classic Dohong dagger found in the south part of Borneo among the Ngajoe dayaks. The are from very old times mostly before 1850 ( when they where already quite rare)
dohongs are also discussed in this forum I believe..... ;)

Arjan.

I will post day light pics when it arrives. You can get rare things sometimes. You have got me a lot more interested. You must think the seller will buff it up especially if ? the metal is silver?

Tim,

Arjen could be right with an imitation of a dohong dagger. The original way of mounting is like a spear with a shaft like this one or in dagger shape like the two on the other picture.
I think you did well considering the price of a pint of lager, maybe two or three on an evening and that for three days.......

Thanks Henk,

If I were to buy only what was traditional to most collectors, I would have no collection at all. The one I having coming, so far looks a lot better than what has been shown so far. Obviously I am hoping for the best.

The hilt style here is almost identical to that of a Malay parang ginah.

I think Charles is the most right at this point off the handle


Ben

I have this little knife now. It is very pretty. As far as I know my boozing mates are not in any immediate danger so I can safely say this dagger is worth more than a couple of nights out with them, they do not have any interest in what I collect but who wants to be Billy NO MATES. I have run out of strong day light so the flash is on and I will try better pics as soon as possible. This is only the blade made of many layers. I could suggest with a discrete whisper that the horn of the handle is the "R" word but that will have to wait for day light. I have sorted out the ring on the pommel. The hole locates on to a peg in the horn. Until more time.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot029.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot028.jpg

Tim, is the base of the spearhead a seperate piece from the blade ?

Rick it is one forged piece. The reason I suspect the horn may be "R" horn is because the handle is a solid piece of horn turn from a much larger lump. As far as I know bovine horn is hollow? the tip may indeed be solid but I also think it is not bovine by the fibrous and fleck structure. Unfortunately I am not clever enough with domestic resources to show this in a picture. I feel quite sure especially when I compere to other Buffalo horn, I could be wrong of course. There is a little damage to the horn on the scabbard, just okay with some glue. I do not think it is one of those rare Dohong knives. Just a nice quallity dagger. It is strange how one persons pictures can differ so much from another. Here are some more pictures of the blade.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot041.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot038.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot037.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot036.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot035.jpg

Very nice. Well done!!

Thank you Henk.

I have read all the archive threads on the Dohong. I would like to open this can of worms again. Lets not fight about it, as far as I have read nobody has any really conclusive information except for VANDOO even if his pictures are of Naga spears. I do not really care either way if it is or is not. However I always like to discuss items when there is a general belief that there is only one shape and especially if that shape is in a book and becomes a biblical law for collectors .
All I know is that I have bought an old dagger. I can see no reason it is not 19th century. So what stops it from being a Dohong it certainly has that form?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../teapot022.jpg

Hi Tim an dohung is bigger than your dagger it is more like an sword



Ben

Thanks Ben, I understand a little more. :)