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Old 24th February 2010, 09:34 PM   #38
Bill
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 327
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I think Vandoo has made some good points. Trade blades were listed on European manifests. I believe I was reading about Wallace & he mentions a large shipment of leaf shaped blades for trade in Celebes; in a ship he is hitching a ride from. I'd guess the Chinese would do the same.

I don't know if this is just by chance or not. I've got some Maguindanao kris that, when stained, have a beautiful marble like pattern. I also have some Maranao kris that are mono steel. By the file work, dress, I figure that both groups produced the swords around 1900. Earlier & later pieces of both groups vary in use of metals. So I assume the Maranao has a good source for mono steel, where the Maguindanao were collecting from multiple sources; at this particular point in time.
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