Moro Shield
 

was gonna bid on this item. starting bid was $50.00. auctioneer's estimate was between $100.00-300.00. i wasn't sure if it was moro so i checked with mabagani. being one of the last of the big time spenders, i reckon i will put my max bid at $200.01. that'll show him. luckily, i didn't coz otherwise i would've made a big dweeb out of myself. oh, yeah, here's the item. i have to say, she's a beaut:

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

Nice shield but ...
 

not for the final price (IMHO). I prefer sharp edges myself, and there are a few good edges that could be had for what this shield went for. All a matter of taste and preference I guess.

Shields are bigger and less durable; there's less of them around.

As far as Tausug shields go, that is not a bad price, though I do not like the clean look of the wood. Maybe its the pic, but where is the patina. Shields tend to fall into that "Ethnographic Art" aka "Tribal Art" category, and somehow are more PC to collect than bladed weaponry for those with the $$$ to spend. Ive been surprised by some of the prices modern shields have been getting.

Here is a recent child's shield. I'll keep it on a wall until baby is big enough to hold it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3952830386

Very nice and meaningful find. Your daughter will be able to break more than boys' hearts when she gets older ;):D

expensive, but a good investment
 

The bidder who won the shield that started this thread is a prominent tribal art dealer and should have no trouble selling it for $3,000-$4,000 or more in the art market. Tom is right that there are relatively few good, old examples of these out there.

Besides being throughly depressed over the market value of some of the PI stuff :( , have any of you noticed that if some one does not know what it is, it gets slapped with the label of "African"? :rolleyes:

By the way, Spunger, don't feel bad, I look like a dweeb all of the time :o (that's why I haven't won anything on eBay for the last 5 years! :confused: )....I'm going to go sulk now, excuse me. :(

Fitting for a warrior princess, my little dayang dayang will naturally grow up around the combative arts and Tausug Silat...I have a small barung to go with the shield.