Valjhun: I am no expert on bullovas, all I have is my rather plain example, but I can confidently agree with you that the one that closed earlier today on eBay was a gorgeous piece. Of course, it also has its original haft with brass mountings and I especially like the small spike on top.
Stephen: nice axe. I think the haft on yours may well be an authentic one. Even if it is a replacement, it appears to have been made in Chota Nagpur some time ago. Bamboo (it appears to be bamboo) is a good, tough enough material for hafts which was used in India and SE Asia, and it makes perfect sense to be the wood of choice for a simple warrior's weapon. Mine and yours bullovas perhaps never belonged to a chief, but they most certainly saw some serious use and were a treasured possession of people, who counted on them for their survival.
I guess this is what makes bullovas so fascinating - they are clearly made for the purpose of battle, unlike so many other types of axes which had utalitarian or ceremonial purposes.
Now here is another bulova that closed on eBay recently, but for some reason I did not quite like it. I cannot explain it but something about it feels wrong. What do you guys think?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6631832279