I ALSO COLLECT WOOD, IVORY,BONE AND STONE CARVINGS. THE CARVERS IN BALI ARE VERY SKILLED AND COULD EASILY CARVE MANDAU HANDLES BUT FOR SOME REASON MY GUT TELLS ME THIS DOSEN'T REALLY STRIKE ME AS BALINESE CARVING, ITS JUST NOT QUITE THEIR STYLE. OF COURSE I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE SINCE 2001 SO ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE NOW.
THE SIZE APPEARS TO BE 15 CM. WHICH IS A LARGE SIZE MANDAU HANDLE BUT STILL IN THE RANGE TO BE USED AS SUCH AND IT IS AN UNFINISHED PIECE. THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE SOME CHIPPED WOOD DAMMAGE AND PERHAPS EVEN A VERY LIGHT PATINA DIFFICULT TO TELL FROM PICTURES. I AM SURE PROFESSIONALS WHO CARVED HANDLES FOR MANDAUS AND OTHER OBJECTS DID HAVE EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF THEIR WORK TO SHOW TO CUSTOMERS SO THEY COULD MAKE THEIR SELECTIONS. I SAW SUCH EXAMPLES OF KERIS HANDLES AND SCABBARDS IN BALI AT A PROFESSIONAL CARVERS SHOP.
BALI SEEMS TO BE A PLACE WHERE MANY PLACES AND CULTURES SEND THEIR ARTS TO BE SOLD AS THEY HAVE A GOOD MARKET THERE WITH ALL THE TOURISTS AND DEALERS WHO COME THERE. SO PERHAPS SOME DAYAK CARVINGS MAY FIND THEIR WAY THERE FROM THE INDONESIAN PART OF BORNEO. MANDAU WERE VERY RARE WHEN I VISITED THERE BUT I DID SEE TWO NICE OLD ONES THAT A MAN HAD IN HIS COLLECTION AND HE WOULD NOT SELL THEM BUT SAID HE HAD SOLD SOME OTHERS HE HAD. AS TO HOW LONG I HAVE HAD EACH ITEM IN MY COLLECTION IT USUALLY TURNS OUT THAT I THINK I HAVE HAD SOMETHING LESS TIME THAN I THINK. THAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WITH AGE AND IF YOU HAVE COLLECTED FOR MANY YEARS WHEN YOU GOT IT IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
