Philippine weapons in Spanish museums

[Battara]

After a closer examination, the triple twistcore kampilan looks like it once had guard that is now lost.

[VANDOO]

THANKS!! THESE PICTURES MAKE MY MOUTH WATER IF I GET THE CHANCE TO VISIT THE AREA THESE MUSEUMS WILL BE ON MY LIST TO SEE. IT WOULD APPEAR THERE IS A MIX OF WEAPONS REPRESENTED FROM INDONESIA, BORNEO AND PERHAPS INDO CHINA NOTABLY THE POLEARMS WITH LARGE BLADES AND THE 3 PRONGED TIGER FORK. QUITE POSSIBLE THEY FOUND THEIR WAY THRU THE PHILIPPINES NATURALLY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT THE LOCAL FORMS AS MANY GROUPS RANGED OVER A WIDE AREA.
THE KAMPILIANS ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE AND THE BEST TWISTCORE DESIGNS I HAVE EVER SEEN. I WOULD AGREE THAT THE KAMPILIAN HAS BEEN DAMAGED AND LOST ITS HANDLE WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BUT THE GAURD WAS NOT REPLACED. I HAVE A COUPLE OF KAMPILIAN WITH DAMMAGE TO THE GAURDS SO I SUSPECT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OFTEN.
I NOTICE THERE ARE 2 SAWFISH SWORDS PICTURED AND THAT SOME OF THE ARROW HEADS LOOK JUST LIKE ONE OF THE FORMS ALSO USED ON ONE OF THEIR FLAMBOYANT SPEAR HEADS. CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THEM RIGHT NOW I MUST BE GETTING OLD.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING ANY GENUINE PHILIPPINE WAR CLUBS AS I KNOW NOTHING OF THEM EXCEPT THAT THEY SURELY EXHISTED BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF METAL. LOOKING THRU THE OTHER PICTURES
I SEE QUITE A FEW CLUBS BUT MOST ARE IDENTIFIABLE AS FIJI AND SOME OF THE OTHER OCEANIC ISLANDS THAT WERE TOO FAR AWAY FOR EVEN THE EARLY PHILIPPINE MARINERS TO HAVE BROUGHT BACK NATURALLY. THERE IS EVEN A MODERN TOURIST SOUVINEER FROM THE MARQUESAS IN ONE CASE. SO I SUSPECT THEY CAME TO THE MUSEUM AS DONATIONS FROM A COLLECTOR OR WERE PURCHASED. I WONDER IF THERE ARE ANY TRUE PHILIPPINE CLUBS WITH PROVENANCE.?

[kronckew]

fantastic collection. will be looking at the rest of the photos.

especially noticed the moro kris with the atypical point, seem to recall us discussing one like this earlier... (extracted from photo above)

[migueldiaz]

Thanks for all for the comments and insights.

I went back to Museo Naval this morning, and I was able to interview the curator and the staff. Once again, they are most helpful and accommodating.

They said that all of their items that are Filipino (and the ones coming from the neighboring islands) were collected in the 19th century. They added though that it's very much possible that some of them were actually made in the 18th century.

With regard to the sawfish sword at Museo Naval, I remarked to the curator that it's probably not Filipino (though the hilt's shape certainly looks familiar). The curator said that perhaps it's really not Filipino, but the piece was collected at Sulu-Mindanao in the 18th century (thus they grouped it under the Phil. items).

I made the same remark about the Chinese halberds(?), that they are not Filipino. They remarked again that they do realize that, but the items were collected in Sulu-Mindanao, thus they grouped it under Philippines.

I was inquiring whether I can see the items in storage. They told me that they are more of the same, and many are not in good shape.

With regard to Filipino war clubs, I saw one at the storage room of Victor Balaguer museum. I'll post pics of those later.

Tomorrow I go to Toledo to see the Army Museum, which has the most collection of Filipino weapons. We will see

[Sajen]

Thank you for sharing the pictures and informations!

[kai]

Lorenz, thanks so much for all your efforts! Hope you'll make it to central and northern Europe sometime soon...

Those are gorgeous pieces and your pics are a great resource!

I do wonder whether these are mainly battle pick-ups - blades from the Visayas and northern PI seem to be quite underrepresented except for those few axes and shields; also not that many Lumad pieces.

A few more of the single-edged Sulu kris are shown in this thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6140

Regards,
Kai

[CharlesS]

WOW! Mouth watering!

Thanks for the pics!