[VANDOO]

THEY STILL HAVE BLACKSMITHS IN VARIOUS VILLAGES AND LONGHOUSES THRU OUT BORNEO TODAY. MANDAUS AND VARIOUS ITEMS ARE STILL MADE FOR LOCAL USE AS WELL AS FOR SALE. TRADERS OFTEN PASS THRU TO BUY LOCAL CRAFTS TO RESELL TO SHOPS IN THE CITIES NOTABLY KUCHING WHO SELL THEM TO TOURISTS. THESE SHOPS OFTEN HAVE MANDAUS AND ITEMS FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT YEARS OF PRODUCTION AND DIFFERENT VILLAGES. IT MAKES IT VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE VARIETY OF WORKMANSHIP AND DESIGNS BOTH OLD AND NEW THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
I CONSIDER THESE SWORDS SPEARS ECT. RECENT WORK RATHER THAN FAKES OR REPLICAS MANY ARE OBVIOUSLY TOURIST GRADE WITH DRAGONS AND MERMAIDS AND OTHER NON TRADITIONAL DESIGNS BUT OTHERS ARE CLOSER TO THE TRADITIONAL AND COULD FIND LOCAL USE. THIS BLADE IS NOT TRADITIONAL FOR BORNEO AS FAR AS I KNOW THUS MY QUESTION. I HAVE SEEN KERIS AND SPEARS WITH THE TEETH, HAIR AND STRANGE PAINTED DESIGNS THAT HAD CRUDE PARMOR BLADES BUT THE TOURIST MANDAU USUALLY HAD POORLY MADE THIN STEEL BLADES.
I AM NOT SURE HOW LONG THE HAIRY, TOOTHED PAINTED UP TOURIST MANDAU HAVE BEEN AROUND OR WHERE THEY ARE MADE FOR SURE BUT THINK THEY GO AT LEAST BACK TO THE 1970'S. I JUST WONDER IF IT IS NON-DAYAK PEOPLES MAKEING THEM OR A COMBINATION OF WORKMANSHIP. THE CARVING IS MUCH BETTER THAN USUAL ON THE SWORD BEING DISCUSSED BUT THE BLADE LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING CLOSER TO INDONESIAN THAN DAYAK.
BEFORE THE EBY. LINK IS GONE THE SWORD IS 21 INCHES LONG UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS ALL THE REVELANT INFORMATION. I WOULD HAVE BID HIGHER BUT I DIDN'T LIKE THE BLADE AND THOUGHT IT WAS RECENT WORK SO I JUST BID ON THE HANDLE AND SCABBARD AND LOST.