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Old 5th March 2023, 10:04 AM   #12
milandro
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Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 419
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kai View Post
Hello André,

A pic of the full scabbard from both sides might be good. One would possibly need to get a real close look into it to check whether this really was made for this sword or is a later marriage with just a really nice fit.

From the pics, the scabbard is more recent Borneo - it certainly seems post-war. The carving is quite rough and the rattan braiding is typical for many Dayak groups and seen on even later examples.

The sword is from the central Sumatran highlands: possibly Mandailing (the area got devastated during the Padri turmoil and received lots of Minang influence during the 19th century; the later pieces originate from one of the main Sumatran blade manufacturing sites). Hilt and general style of this piece also seem to be post-WW2. Not a common type but some of these do crop up, especially in the Netherlands. (Not all of these have a cross guard. An older example is published in Steel and Magic: #13)

Regards,
Kai
Thanks Kai! your information gave me the possibility to search Mandailing Swords and I found another thread with almost identical swords (albeit even finer in quality than mine) no scabbard there.


http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5089


Searching further using this term I came across the term Piso Sanalenggam which looks different in terms of hilt and doesn't show engravings on the blade but the shape of the blade looks the same.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6928

Last edited by milandro; 5th March 2023 at 10:14 AM. Reason: adding detail
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