A strange bolo

paolo · 29th December 2006, 07:37 AM

Being new of this (and any other ) forum, I have many questions to put up for discussion; so You should forgive my hurry and aegerness to open threads and have answers.
Now I send some pics of a bolo I have with horn hilt and silver fittings (the pitted blade on one side has some brass inlay floral pattern I can't satisfying phtograph) with a fly whisk of horsehai. I never saw a similar one. Can someone help me?
Regards
Paolo

Battara · 29th December 2006, 07:31 PM

Very interesting Paolo. I would say the mounts were more steel or aluminum and not silver (though only a jeweler's test can tell for sure) since silver does not pit like this. STill looks Katipunan (Luzon Island) and a higher ranking person. The fist was one of the signs of the Katipunan groups and it was actually a fist holding the scalp or severed head of a Spaniard. Not seen one with hair before, but a first for everything. Could you show pictures of the brass inlay? Very nice.

paolo · 29th December 2006, 09:01 PM

Tomorrow I'll try to take some pic of the brass inlay, but I'm not sure of the outcome because the blade is quite pitted.
Regards
Paolo

VANDOO · 29th December 2006, 09:57 PM

I HAVE SEEN KNIVES WITH THIS FORM OF BLADE REFERED TO AS A TABAK. THEY TOOK THAT FORM DUE TO THE SPANISH LAW ENFORCED IN SOME REGIONS AGAINST KNIVES HAVING A SHARP POINT. I WOULD STILL CLASSIFY THIS AS A BOLO AND HAVE SEEN SOME SIMULAR WORK FROM LUZON. I AGREE WITH JOSE AND TO CHECK THE METAL TRY A MAGNET IF ITS SILVER OR WHITE METAL IT WON'T STICK. I HAVE A SIMULAR FIST HANDLE WITH SILVER AND A GOLD RING ON THE FINGER. SO IT IS A REOCCURING THEME WHICH NO DOUBT HAS SOME MEANING. NICE KNIFE

paolo · 30th December 2006, 08:46 AM

Thank you for the inputs.
Battara, attached some pics of the brass inlay. As I wrote, is very difficult to have them in an acceptable quality.
Regards
Paolo

paolo · 30th December 2006, 08:50 AM

Vandoo, I put the magnet on fittings and it won't stick, so they shold be silver or aluminium.
Regards
Paolo

Battara · 30th December 2006, 07:10 PM

One thing I forgot: Welcome to the Forum!

Thank you for the brass pictures. Yes I do think this belonged to someone who is of higher rank and it older, around the turn of the century at least. I would suggest taking it to a jeweler to have the metal tested.

VERY nice piece. Thank you.

paolo · 31st December 2006, 09:30 AM

Thank you for the exhaustive answers. For sure next year I'll test the fittings metal by a jeweller. (not too simple walk in the city with a bolo under arms !!!).
Happy New Year
Paolo

galvano · 1st January 2007, 10:16 AM

paolo look page 124 from " a glossary of the construction,decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and all times" george cameron stone . we have the same.
galvano

paolo · 1st January 2007, 04:40 PM

Yes I saw times ago, is the same but it hasn't the fly whisk of horsehair.
Paolo

29th December 2006, 07:37 AM	#1
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	A strange bolo Being new of this (and any other ) forum, I have many questions to put up for discussion; so You should forgive my hurry and aegerness to open threads and have answers. Now I send some pics of a bolo I have with horn hilt and silver fittings (the pitted blade on one side has some brass inlay floral pattern I can't satisfying phtograph) with a fly whisk of horsehai. I never saw a similar one. Can someone help me? Regards Paolo Attached Images

30th December 2006, 08:46 AM	#5
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	Thank you for the inputs. Battara, attached some pics of the brass inlay. As I wrote, is very difficult to have them in an acceptable quality. Regards Paolo Attached Images

1st January 2007, 10:16 AM	#9
galvano Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 178	hi all paolo look page 124 from " a glossary of the construction,decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and all times" george cameron stone . we have the same. galvano

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29th December 2006, 07:31 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Very interesting Paolo. I would say the mounts were more steel or aluminum and not silver (though only a jeweler's test can tell for sure) since silver does not pit like this. STill looks Katipunan (Luzon Island) and a higher ranking person. The fist was one of the signs of the Katipunan groups and it was actually a fist holding the scalp or severed head of a Spaniard. Not seen one with hair before, but a first for everything. Could you show pictures of the brass inlay? Very nice.

29th December 2006, 09:01 PM	#3
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	Tomorrow I'll try to take some pic of the brass inlay, but I'm not sure of the outcome because the blade is quite pitted. Regards Paolo

29th December 2006, 09:57 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE SEEN KNIVES WITH THIS FORM OF BLADE REFERED TO AS A TABAK. THEY TOOK THAT FORM DUE TO THE SPANISH LAW ENFORCED IN SOME REGIONS AGAINST KNIVES HAVING A SHARP POINT. I WOULD STILL CLASSIFY THIS AS A BOLO AND HAVE SEEN SOME SIMULAR WORK FROM LUZON. I AGREE WITH JOSE AND TO CHECK THE METAL TRY A MAGNET IF ITS SILVER OR WHITE METAL IT WON'T STICK. I HAVE A SIMULAR FIST HANDLE WITH SILVER AND A GOLD RING ON THE FINGER. SO IT IS A REOCCURING THEME WHICH NO DOUBT HAS SOME MEANING. NICE KNIFE

30th December 2006, 08:50 AM	#6
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	Vandoo, I put the magnet on fittings and it won't stick, so they shold be silver or aluminium. Regards Paolo

30th December 2006, 07:10 PM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	One thing I forgot: Welcome to the Forum! Thank you for the brass pictures. Yes I do think this belonged to someone who is of higher rank and it older, around the turn of the century at least. I would suggest taking it to a jeweler to have the metal tested. VERY nice piece. Thank you.

31st December 2006, 09:30 AM	#8
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	Thank you for the exhaustive answers. For sure next year I'll test the fittings metal by a jeweller. (not too simple walk in the city with a bolo under arms !!!). Happy New Year Paolo

1st January 2007, 04:40 PM	#10
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	Yes I saw times ago, is the same but it hasn't the fly whisk of horsehair. Paolo