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Originally Posted by David
It does seem to me that the focus of interest for those who collect these is far more directed on the dress (specifically the hilts) than the blades themselves.
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According to contemporary Peninsular & Singaporean collectors, a tajong is defined by the dress (both hilt and sheath), so in the absence of proper dress, it isn't a tajong, but rather a pandai saras blade, or a carita blade, or whatever.
I agree with Gavin that in general the blades dressed as tajong are of generally good quality, unlike the middling to poor quality blades that are often found in coteng dress. Peninsular blades lack contrasting pamor, but they are typically well-forged, with good detail work. It's not uncommon to find a better quality carita blade in tajong dress.
Thanks for posting these images, kyoba84, I'm deeply envious of your collection.