Another mandau Qs
 

I just got this mandau yesterday. The blade is simple and heavily rusted. There are two features that I would like to understand and hope mandau lovers and experts here can help to explain.

1) On the base of the blade was etched the name SAMIDRI PIN. Does anyone here familiar with this name? who is he?. Does this mean that this mandau is specifically commissioned by this gent or could he bought it and etched the name later? is this a normal practise?

2) A figurine was tied to the scabbard? any purpose/significance of this? What is this figurine called? I saw similar figurines of the same size in Serawak museum and the explanation notes say that these are used for fish lures and put in fish traps.

Thanks in advance for comments and explanation.

A couple of thoughts:

The blade is a European trade blade.

The figure maybe an ancestor or deity for protection. I have not seen many of these attached to these pieces in the past. I think this is unique.

Carvings on the pommel and scabbard are mostly of asos- stylized dog/dragons.

Than you for sharing this.

AFAIK, one of the key features that identify a true mandau is that the blade is convex on one side and somewhat concave on the other. This blade appears to be rather flat. It could be a trade blade as José has suggested or simply something turned out quickly for market sale.
I didn't turn up any hits on the name. I would say that it is not common practice to engrave one's name on the blade like this.
Figures, beads, shells, etc. are often attached to mandau sheaths as talismanic power items. I would image that this figure is meant to act in that facility.

Hello Green,
this figures are very common, they are for example attached by Dayak baby carrier. I still have some from this figures stored somewhere. When I find them I will show some pictures.

Regards,
Detlef

This mandau is 2nd half 20th century, made for ceremonial wear / dancing.
Traditional motifs and techniques, but less refined.

The blade looks like a machinemade blade.
The name appears to be stamped and will probably be not more than a producer or retailers name, (not engraved or etched)

The charm is of a type that was used by shamans. Please see below pictures from Hornbill and Dragon by B. Sellato.
The second picture with 2 examples from my collection.

They are indeed also seen on baby carriers, but imho this is not a original use of these charms.

Best regards,
Willem

Thank you all for the explanation and I do agree about the blade which is flat on both sides and not the typical convex/concave blade of the classic mandaus which I also have in my small collection.

On related topic I have another flat blade which is pitted around may be 0.3 cm across in several places. I'm wondering if this is simply bad blade or purposely added for whatever reasons. any explanation ? I tend to believe that it's just simply a bad blade.

Hello Green,

Some better (close up) pictures of the blade might help.
But it looks like a forged blade, and the pitts are already created during the forging :shrug:

Do you have a close up of the handle ?

Best regards,
Willem

Asomotif;

Here it is.

The SAMIDRI falls to ambang, working tools. It is not SAMIDRI PIN but SAMIDRI PIR. Pir referring to PER => spring steel. It means the blade made of spring steel. Spring steel is valued to be "good quality" material. Samidri is the blacksmith name. In the traditional market, it is common to see implementing tool vendors selling ambang blanks. Somewhere in this forum someone said sanaman MANAP. There is famous blacksmith from Banjarmasin who has mark MANAP. MANAP or MANAF blanks which wrapped with clear plastic will sale 2-3x of the ordinary ambang.The MANAP is not famous only in around Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) but also up to Central Kalimantan from Palangkaraya up to upper Barito River. MANAP known to have good heat treatment, it able to cut nail without damaging the blade. So marking is very common