Another Cross-Cultural Islamic Blade: An Indonesian Parang with a Persian Blade
 

Here is a good Indonesian parang mounted with a Persian blade of wootz steel, and adding to my interest in blades passed through different cultures in the Islamic world.

The parang is of a typical Indonesian size, small, short, and for slashing or stabbing. It has clearly been cut down from a larger blade, in this case a 18th/19th century blade of medium contrast wootz steel and featuring a cartouche at the forte: "Oh Judge of Needs".

The hilt is nicely carved horn and is pierced at the pommel. The scabbard looks to have been covered in leather later, but the mounts are no doubt original and are brass. They may have originally been gilded. A previous owner had polished them roughly, perhaps losing the gilding in the process.

An attractive little sword and "right down my alley" of interest.

Details:

Overall length: 24in.
Blade length: 17.75in.
Blade width at the widest point: 1.25in.

Great repousse work! Shame the cleaning was too aggressive.

As usual, you pick up interesting pieces.

Hello Charles,

thank you for sharing! Like Jose write, very nice repousse work and beautiful carved hilt. Sadly this sword can't speak and would so be able how a persian lade come together with an Indonesian dress. :eek:

Regards,
Detlef

Very nice! I love that pierced carving on the hilt.

What characteristics points this blade as being Persian? Is it the style of the cartouche?

Thanks for sharing.

The cartouche style is Persian, but I am not sure if it is in Farsi(using Arabic letters) or pure Arabic. The blade style is typically Persian, and would, of course, have been much longer in its original form.

It would have been somewhat similar to this, though minus one fuller and I think mine may be a bit older.

http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=5464

Hi,
18th/19thC Persian trade blade of mine for comparison, although not exactly the same the similarities are there.
Regards,
Norman.