interesting stuff.. they seem to have very distinctive features.. pinned sheaths.. the large swell in the sheathfor the hilt to enter.. the bulbuled pinned handles... the large chiols.. lanyard holes.. e ect ect..
I imagine there would have been on such a small island only 1 or two people making tools and knives at any one time.. but from what I understand before the islands were annexed by Australia knives like this were carried by every person on the island and the king/owner of the island can be seen in several images waring such a knife...
there seem to have been several distinct styles.... one small and like a knife with more of a point and one larger and more like a small slightly pointed chopper.
seems most show up in the u.s.a. and british troops were on the island during ww2 in number... so maybe they were big customers.
I have seen one with a bone handle like a small knife sold by an Australian dealer and another larger one ones.. but that's it...
we should just contact somebody in the islands they are all related families and will know who made them and when and for what ect ect ....
as there is only a few actual families I imagines there was a blacksmith family. even among the diaspora in Malaysia there is just a few... they are also endogamous... reverse of typical malay custom... maybe they even still make the odd thing today..
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