Is this from Borneo?
 

Lousy pictures, i know .. i am not at home; just bought the thing :shrug: .
What would the specialized forumites say about this ?
... origin veracity, name of piece, aproximate age ... you know, that type of things.
Thanks in advance
Fernando

Hi Fernando, I think this is an Indonesian spearhead; it looks like the collar at the base (metuk) may be a separate piece .

As for cultural signifigance mounted as it is ... :shrug:

Thanks Rick,
You mean this piece is not a 'classic' style? not an usualy seen specimen?
Meerly a tombak mounted in an atypical way?
Horn and teeth would be the materials used ... or would the 'teeth' be worked up bone?
A weapon to be carried over the shoulder, so it seems ...
Looks some old, doesn't it ?
Any more coments ... Gentlemen ?
Fernando

Hi Fernando
You will see keris made up this way with the knotwork, teeth and painting also .

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of whether these items are culturally signifigant or not . :o

However I would ask this; it is a spearhead, does form follow function ?

Hi Fernando and Happy New Year :) ,
I think Rick might be refering to something like this...

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=mandau+teeth

I am intrigued with the 'bend' in the shaft and its possible function ..... even if this is a 'tourist' piece...surely it would be based on a 'local' form :shrug:

The spearhead looks good....but I must admit that it is a personal view.....I have very limited knowledge of SEA weapons :o ....but they are fascinating ;)

Kind Regards David

Hi Fernando this is for sure put together in Borneo but has nothing to do with the dayaks .

Many tourist piece's are like it they have krissen,mandau's and parangs like this .

This one could be made in the 50/60/70


Ben

My guess is that it is a good tombak blade in a 'bad' dress. :shrug: :o

I would disassemble the piece and only keep the tombak. ;)

Freddy,

This is a javanese tombak. The mounting is from New Guinea. But it puzzles me a bit.
Like Dajak noticed many of these pieces were assembled as mandau, keris and spears for the tourist market. The tourist pieces are easily to recognize because of the bright modern fabric paint used for the mountings.

The paint seen on this mounting seems to be the paint used on the original New guinea pieces made from natural materials. But as you said the pictures aren't of the best quality.

Don't be to hasty by throwing away these mountings.

Thank you all, Gentlemen.
These are better (?) pictures. I don't expect that they bring a better or a different conclusion, but maybe the paint quality can be discerned, Henk?
So definitely a tourist piece, Ben ? Made in the fifties/sixties ... for sure ? I had the impression it could be a bit older, although i know nothing about these things. But then the blade be the real thing ... a Javanese tombak, says Henk; surely older than the mountings, in such case ?!
Thanks for the link David; at least the shaft in this one is organic matter ... bone, in principle. And it seems as the whole extension is an entire piece; i don't feel any joints underneath the skin handle. Its form is not only bent but also twisted; i wonder whether it was manipulated by this device maker or it was the natural form of some animal horns ... not probably, i'd say.
Anyway and due to what has already been said, i am strongly considering the return of this thing and the acquisition of something else, instead. I just need a little further push, like the (re) confirmation that this piece is not old and is actually orientated to the tourist market. I don't expect any problems in returning it; the alternative piece i will buy is much more expensive, so the seller won't have much to complain.
Please go ahead, Gentlemen.
Fernando

.

rest pictures; i will delete a few afterwards, to lighten the thread file.

No further coments?
All right, no push needed. I've already made up my mind; will return the thing.
Will buy something rather different, instead. Shall post it in European Armoury Forum, next week.
Thanks all the same.
Fernando

I think you have made the right decision Fernando .

So i got a coment ;)
Thanks, Rick