New Purchase: A tumbok lada

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

....what I believe I am looking at is a relatively recent knife & scabbard, but with an old ivory hilt, I also believe that I am looking at an item of better than usual quality.

Mr. Maisey I am not questioning your assessment, but I do have a question on what about the blade itself makes it look recent. What about the blades gives it away? Is it the profile or that the cleaning has not caused enough serrations in the blades as the acid ate away at the softer layers? Is it as recent as the sheath? For the blade what is recent?



The shrubbery on the blade and sheath complement each other whether or not they were made at similar times. To me the designs in the tendril and floral patterns seem to show what Van der Hoop in Indonesian Ornamental Design insinuated was a Chinese influence. The tendrils change from panel to panel. Some show clouds. The tumpals are interesting in that the tendrils almost become flames. On one side of the blades the tendrils are almost anthropomorphic. Hugh I really like the inlay on the blade.

Thanks for posting
-IP