[CharlesS]

This lovely old shield was listed on eBay as Zulu shield which clearly it is not. When I saw the first photo of it, I dismissed it as "junk", but once I had studied the thoroughness of the bamboo frame, rattan binding, and the structure of the rear frame, it became clear that this may not have been a "high society" shield, but it certainly beat my original thoughts of it being "junk".

The shield is made from what I believe is light but tough, hardened water buffalo hide. It is stretched over four rings of tough bamboo which gives it a tough outer edge. The inner frame is created by two slats of wood bound to the rest with rattan. The handle is rattan woven on to the two slats with the center portion of the hide pressed forward to make room for the hand.

It will win no beauty pageants, but, as a shield, it is a very interesting thing, both light and durable.

The structure seems to me to be a form similar to other SE Asian shield forms, though we are used to seeing more elegant examples. There is a certainly some age to it with the bamboo well patinated and the hide showing it age and wear and tear, as does the rattan binding.

Any thoughts about its origins are welcomed.


Diameter: 23in.