Mike:
Thanks for your direct confirmation of my skepticism. These days I'm reluctant to come out and say publicly that something is not genuine, especially from pictures, but that Bontoc shield just did not look right for some reason — and you articulated well why it is not the real deal.
In the hand, the old ones are lighter than more recently made examples, reflecting different construction materials (as Mike said). Despite its size and bulk, my early 20th C. example of a Bontoc shield is really quite light and would be easily maneuvered for defensive purposes.
Ian.
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