for the Barung lovers...
 

i drooled uncontrollably when i saw this. it wasn't the price that prevented me from acquiring it, rather it was already promised to someone else. at least i was allowed to take pics. the barung's handle is entirely made out of ivory! punto has nice silver braids, and it has a very distict lamination pattern on the blade. here's for the record...

I recognize that desk ...
 

and the barung is a very nice example. The ivory section looks not very old to me, but always hard to tell with ivory. The style of carving of the kakatua would suggest early 20th C., maybe later. What do you think the age is?

Did you pick up anything from our friend in Manila?

Ian.

spunjer, wowowowowow!!!!!!
i like it!!!!!!
here's some pics of my big hilted, brass weaved barong.

wow labantayo, where did you get that at? nice piece...

ian,
yes. i will post some pics on a different thread...

i didnt get it on ebay. ;)
i found a secret stash of philippine swords somewhere. :D
they had 2 d-guard tenegre's also. :D :D :D :D
i'll post pics of those later.

Wow...that is alot, and I mean alot of ivory for a hilt. :eek: Even for a more modern piece, that is alot, did I say alot of ivory. The ability to find such a large contiguously large piece of tusk for such carving is very rare (ivory tusks have a considerable portion that is hollow, so really only the tips are usable for solid work like this), part of the reason for the socketing and sectioning of so many jungayan pieces. But if my eyes dont betray me (well got glasses) that is one solid chunk of ivory. Wow...Very nicely done, beautiful sheen, great carving, definitely a higher end piece. Ok...Ill wipe my drool off the keyboard.

Labantayo, the brading on that hilt makes my fingers hurt. I can only imagine the hours spent doing the brass wrap. Very nice catch.

Shelley:

Do I see a little hole drilled through the blade just in front of the hilt on your brass wrapped barung? And the brass wire has been passed through that hole to help secure the handle to the blade? The only other Moro piece where I have seen this feature is on an unusual bangkung that Zel has. Very odd.

Ian.

federico,
yes, it's one solid piece as far as i'm concern. i even ebay bidded (higher) the dealer, but he wouldn't budge (but then again it wasn't high enuff :D :D :D )

ian,
yes, the brass wire does go through a little hole in the blade. very cool feature.

spunjer,
i still cant get over the barong. i love the ivory hilt.
we'll be in manila in a few months, so, ermita, here we come!!!!

federico,
it took several weeks for my fingers to heal from all the braiding and wrapping.
:):):):)