Parang kerekoepang from Banjarmasin?
 

Have given a bid to this parang which was offered in a small german auction house and it seems that I have won it, the list of the results isn't shown until now. There was shown only one picture so my bid was small. I think that it is a parang kerekoepang from Banjarmasin. The first picture shows the parang, the second a picture from a Schmeltz plate. What do you think?

Regards,

Detlef

Yes, it seems to be a rare Banjar parang - congratulations!
I look forward to see the blade etc. when you have received it.


Michael

Thank you for confirming Michael. When I really have won it I will show more pictures soon as I have received it.

Regards,

Detlef

Yes I agree!

Very nice complete one! Congrats with this nice find!
Nice to see the scabbard tip is still there..

Maurice

Thank you Maurice! :)

Best regards,

Detlef

Detlef,

Nice banjar parang. right out of the books.
Any news yet if you actualy won the auction ?
Looking forward to pictures of the blade.
Hopefully it will be in the same condition as the scabbard.

Best regards,
Willem

Hello Willem,

thank you! Now is shown "supposable award" so I hope that I can hold it soon in my hands. And I hope like you that the blade will have the same good condition as the scabbard and will show a good pamor.

Best regards,
Detlef

Congrats, Detlef!

Looks like an average man's parang with a plain hilt style. Great to obtain a complete example with even all but one decorative rings still present!

Some of these Banjar blades have really nice pamor - am keeping my thumbs pressed for you. Please update once you receive it.

Regards,
Kai

Thank you Kai,

agree that it average man's parang since I have seen such parangs with much more ornate hilts.
BTW, today I have received the bill for it so it don't will need long that I will be able to post more pictures, special from the blade.

Best regards,

Detlef

Yes, the one hilt isn't the other, doesn't mean that this one was carried by an average man and the other wasn't.
But maybe a little more plain as some others, but not less important at that time.
Though a lot of blades can be placed in the same category, they easily can differ in a lot of ways from eachother.
They were wearing these weapons in a restless area of Borneo where a lot of trade and war was going on.
Also it was an area in which trickery and deceit was happening everyday, and even for centuries they tricked foreigners and killed them for the slightest reason. And at the other hand they were often under attack because of their diamondmines, coal and other valuables, even by Javanese or buginese pirates.

Thank you Maurice for the explanation. :)

Someone know from which substance the red paint is done?

Regards,

Detlef

:) Sometimes I got carried away and want to tell more than just about the sword, cause I happen to read a lot about the Bandjermasin area lately....

Sorry if I bother some of the collectors who are only interested in swords and not about the situation of particular area....
:o

I have somewhere an article which is telling about the red "paint". I try to find it soon for you.

Regards,
Maurice

Don't worry, I am always interested about the background history of the areas of my collection interests. and thank you in advance! :)

Regards,

Detlef

Usually the red color on Banjar weapons is from Dragon's blood (it is a local plant resin, not from "real" dragons).

Michael

Thank you Michael!

Regards,

Detlef

Very nice!
Look forward to seeing pictures of the blade.
I still have the Banjar klewang that was dicussed here a long time ago.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...onesian+riddle

Basic form of a Banjar klewang but with a very exceptional blade!

Regards, Erik

Hello Erik,

thank you! Soon as I have it in my hands I will post pictures from the blade.

Regards,

Detlef

Yesterday I received the parang and it was disappointing, the blade is forged from monosteel. While the parang seems to have age it seems to be unused. Will look if the auction house can give me informations about the provenance.

Someone know how long this parangs are "produced" in Banjarmasin?

Detlef, I'm guessing that your disappointment is rooted in the fact that this tool was not made from material that has been folded and forge welded?

Personally, this would not disappoint me.

Working tools are normally made from the best material available. In Central Jawa working tools were being made from railway line and other material sourced from outside the country from at least the second half of the 19th century.

Where a tool or a weapon --- and a weapon is simply a tool with a specific purpose --- is produced for some cultural purpose, such as is the keris at the present time, we can expect to see traditional forge techniques of forge welding, pattern welding and so on put into practice, but where a tool or a weapon is produced for actual use as a tool or weapon, the smith will use, and his client will choose, the best material available. In the areas of SE Asia that I am familiar with this means spring steel or some other modern type of steel that can be properly heat treated to hold a working edge.

I believe you have purchased a tool that is correct for the time and place where it was made. I do not see this as a reason for disappointment, particularly in view of what you have said about the price you paid.

Thank you very much for your thoughts and explanation Alan. :) And I am sure that you are correct. My disappointment was for the first moment since I have thought that all this Banjar klewang have a pamor blade but i am sure in the meanwhile that this klewang in question is an early collected item and wasn't long in use. A other member told me nearly the same by email like you have written.

Regards,

Detlef