Twist-core with ball pommel
 

Here is a moro kris with a ball pommel inlaid with ivory triangles. The blade is a little longer than usual, 25 inches long, 31 1/2 inches overall. No scabbard. Subtle style of twist core, a little different than some. The asang do have a suassa look to them that can't be seen in the pictures. On the back of the pommel is a Spanish coin dated 1870. Most of the silver inlay has been lost on the blade. I think this is a Mindanao kris although there is no ukil on the silver bands that would lead me to believe that it is either Maranao or Maguindanao. It just seems like the kris is a little bigger than most sulu swords. The elephant trunk also seems to be of the kind that is sort of an intermediate style between the two groups, at least according to Cato...........Dave.

I would say late 19th - early 20th century Maguindanao by blade style.

Not a common example. Nice. I would polish the baka-baka first to determine if they are swassa or tarnished silver.

Dave is this twist core or just a nicely pattern welded blade???..the pics may be throwing me off a little.

Very nice kris! I am jealous. :D ;)

Regards,
Detlef

Charles: It's a twist-core, at least I would call it one. I think I have another one somewhere just like this one, but this kind of pattern is not common. If I was able to take better pictures I think you would be able to see that this pattern has more in common with what we associate with a normal twist-core than a regular pattern weld, but alas!!!! my camera skills are sorely lacking. I think what some Damascus makers would call this type is a star pattern. I seem to recall seeing pattern similar to this in Jim Hrisoulas book "THE COMPLETE BLADESMITH'. It doesn't look exactly like it but has some similarities...........Dave

Dave,

I have studied pic 2 more carefully and think I see it now. It's just broader...not as tight...twistcore I think. Very unique.

Yeah Charles, it's hard to see in these pictures but if you had the kris in your hand, it would be very easy to tell that this is some kind of star-twist pattern. Anyhow, right or wrong, that's what I decided to call it.....Dave.