Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 13th September 2015, 07:05 PM   #1
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default New acquisition; Sundang for comment

I was recently able to pick this sundang up on e-way very reasonably.The silver inlay is completely intact even though it looks like some of it might be missing; probably a shadow cast during pictures.I would be interested in any feed back, especially regarding the age .
Attached Images
            
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 12:14 AM   #2
David
Keris forum moderator
 
David's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,115
Default

Very nice kris. Very well crafted and a good deal of the inlay intact. I would say it is late 19th century.
I'm not sure that "sundang" is the proper name for this weapon in Moroland. But i have been led to believe that half wavy blades like this are called Luma (Maguindanao tribe), Ranti (Maranao tribe) or Kalis Taluseko (Tausug tribe). Kris seems to be a good catch-all for these blades whether straight or wavy. Apparently the Maranao tribe do use the term sundang to refer to straight kris. The word sundang also seems to be the popular term for the Malay counterpart of the Moro kris.
Maybe others have more or different information on this name game.
David is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 12:26 AM   #3
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,194
Default

Nice kalis taluseko. I think the blade was probably made in Mindanao in the first half of the 20th C, but the metal decoration on the hilt looks more recent Maranao work with the typical okir motifs and short metal plates. A very clean sword.

Similar kris are fairly common in a few antique stores in and around Zamboanga, and there are a couple of sellers on eBay who work that area and regularly put similar items up for auction. Many items have vintage blades with newer hilts and some are entirely new. Much of what shows up online from these dealers comes from the Lake Lanao region (Maranao people), with some Maguindanao, Tausug and Yakan items as well.

Ian.

Last edited by Ian; 14th September 2015 at 12:38 AM.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 01:55 AM   #4
kino
Member
 
kino's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,002
Default

I tend to believe that the metalwork on the hilt is original to the blade. The blade is still beefy, it doesn't seem to have been used much and so it hasn't been thru the grindstone much either. It was probably collected early on in its life. I'm with David on the age estimation.
Going by the number of waves, it's a limaseko.
Nice sword, I like the way the wire was twisted before being inlaid into the blade.
Congrats on a nice catch Mr. drac2k.
kino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 05:32 AM   #5
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default

Thank you all for the wealth of information and the complements.
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 10:32 AM   #6
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,761
Default

Hello Drac2k,

very nice kris indeed and I agree with the others, late 19th century until early 20th century, very nice blade.

At some pictures is to seen that there are traces of an old wrapping under the hilt fittings, can you tell which material it is? On the pictures is look like leather which would be unusual and also would confirm that the hilt fittings of later date IMHO. Personally I would give the hilt a new cord wrapping between the metal rings. Are you going to etch the blade?

Regards,
Detlef
Sajen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 11:47 AM   #7
RSWORD
Member
 
RSWORD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,083
Default

Nice sword. The blade would benefit from a light etch because I am pretty sure I am seeing signs of twistcore in the center panel. Dave, have a good close look at that center section in good sunlight and see if you can see the pattern.
RSWORD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th September 2015, 02:41 PM   #8
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,194
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kino
...
Going by the number of waves, it's a limaseko.
...
Kino:

I have noted that lima (meaning five) is the only number that is consistently called the same name in most (if not nearly all) languages of SE Asia. Five is lima in Malay, Indonesian, and a host of Philippine dialects (including Tagalog, Igorot, Cebuano, Warai, Tausug, Maranao, Yakan, and so on). Not sure that this means anything, or adds to the discussion here, just an observation.

Ian.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.