Show us your Dua Lalan

[Athanase]

Hello,

Here is a subject to exhibit your Dua Lalan


The first has a very simple wooden handle, the scabbard is covered with rattan with a brass band at the base.

The second has a pretty buffalo horn handle inlaid with bone, unfortunately it lacks the rattan on the grip and mice we seemed to find it to their taste ... The foot of the scabbard is in buffalo horn and is maintained by a bone pin.

[Sajen]

You have acquired some nice Sulawesi swords Séverin, congrats!

Here my honest example.

Regards,
Detlef

[Athanase]

I forgot my first Duan Lalan ^^ :

[JeffS]

Here are two more examples. I agree with the sentiment of Athanase (shared on his similar alamang post), these "Show me ..." posts are very helpful reference spots. They are also low hanging fruit for keeping our forum lively! 0

[David R]

Thank you for showing these, not seen anything like them before.

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by David R

Thank you for showing these, not seen anything like them before.

They are quite interesting. Apparently the Torajan language does not have a written form but they make extensive use of precise symbols which carry meaning that is passed on orally. I've attached an example panel of symbols. After looking at a number of dua lalan I'm starting to suspect new symbols are added over time, perhaps to record significant events. I believe Detlef has one that clearly shows a carving that was added later on the field (on part that looks like a hornbill's beak) that is blank in my example above.

[Athanase]

Very nice Dua Lalan Jeff !!

[Rafngard]

Recently picked up my first one.

Enjoy,
Leif

[Athanase]

Hello,
Nice blade Rafngard.

My new Duan Lalan, with unusual handle and an exeptionnal pamor blade.

[Sajen]

Very nice one! Congrats!

[kai]

Hello Séverin,

I agree with Detlef - very nice piece!

The blade getting wider towards the tip is quite untypical for these.

Regards,
Kai

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by Athanase

Hello,
Nice blade Rafngard.

My new Duan Lalan, with unusual handle and an exeptionnal pamor blade.

Is that considered a twist core?

[kai]

Maybe not - close-ups would be great for verification, Séverin!

[Gustav]

Yes, two twisted rods on each side of blade.

[Athanase]

Some close up.

[Gustav]

Athanase, this link could be of interest to you. It shows a similar blade with similar handle, qnd attributes it to a certain Toraja group.

https://ificah-vr.de/exhibition-you-...-dolo/?lang=en

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Gustav

https://ificah-vr.de/exhibition-you-...-dolo/?lang=en

Some of the shown weapons in this exhibition are coming originally from my collection.

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Some of the shown weapons in this exhibition are coming originally from my collection.

Detlef, they surely wanted items of best quality from your collection. Just out of curiosity - did you already had the same kind of items of similar quality in your collection as the ones you gave them?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Gustav

Detlef, they surely wanted items of best quality from your collection. Just out of curiosity - did you already had the same kind of items of similar quality in your collection as the ones you gave them?

Hello Gustav,

I was only reasonably wealthy for a short time, I didn't want to see my children grow up in a rented apartment on a main road, so I bought a house and was therefore constantly forced to sell top pieces from my collection. The problem of a single earner! All the pieces shown in this exhibition which came from my collection are now in one prominent collection. To answer your question, no, I haven't been able to purchase any comparable pieces since then.
The pieces are shown by the pics.

And here the threads where I have shown them before:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Timor
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=taiwan
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=taiwan
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...highlight=nias

Regards,
Detlef

[Gustav]

Detlef,

you are a very good husband and father. I can't yet imagine myself parting with pieces of such quality.

Regards,
Gustav

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Gustav

you are a very good husband and father. I can't yet imagine myself parting with pieces of such quality.

Thank you very much Gustav!

[Gustav]

Here another specimen, quite elaborated Pamor, yet also kind of typical - a twisted rod (?) in the upper third, two twisted rods in the middle. Perhaps there was some different kind of a twisted rod at the edge, but it has vanished. Additionally a Batu Lapak, only on the "inner" side of blade.

Blade length - 44 cm.

[Sajen]

Very nice complete example!

[Gustav]

Thank you, Detlef!

I really can only admire the work of the blacksmith who made it. So many tricky welds, and not one significant cold shut.

[JeffS]

Also nice to see these with the bone inlay intact. Thank you for sharing.

[werecow]

Since Martin posted his own example here I thought I'd revive this thread with my own example, which I bought this Christmas.

Unfortunately the scabbard is missing the foot and has some damage to the rattan, and there is a substantial chip in the blade. But I really like the grip carvings (with little brass inlays on one side) and the visible laminated blade structure. I was surprised at how thin that grip is.

72.3 cm and 494 gr outside the scabbard.

[Sajen]

Like you I like the handle carvings!

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by werecow

But I really like the grip carvings (with little brass inlays on one side) and the visible laminated blade structure.

I think that the inlays are not from brass but from "fish bone", they look white to my eyes. Control with a loupe.

Regards,
Detlef

[Pendita65]

This is my dua lalan I will pick up on Wednesday.

Regards, Martin

[werecow]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I think that the inlays are not from brass but from "fish bone", they look white to my eyes. Control with a loupe.

Regards,
Detlef

You might be right Detlef, the patina threw me off. Will have to have a closer look in daylight!