a very lukky kris

Battara · 16th June 2011, 11:09 PM

The blade and hilt construction appear to be Maguindanao. You have a early 20c piece from the Maguindanao tribe on the west coast of Mindanao.

Interesting to see sticks instead of metal. Interesting pommel too.

mrwizard · 16th June 2011, 11:28 PM

Hello Jose,

Thanks for the classification.

Maguindanao and early 20th century was also my guess but i was unsure because of the pommel and the "chopsticks" on the hilt.
The wooden sticks seem to be purely decorative as the asang-asang are fastened by copper bands that go below the metal fittings of the hilt.
I vaguely remember having seen a similar construction with just one wooden stick on a barong but i cannot find the picture anymore.

Best Regards,
Thilo

Spunjer · 17th June 2011, 12:21 AM

unusual pommel indeed! the curly cue on the sides goes in the opposite direction. here's a similar pommel:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=moro+kris

Maurice · 17th June 2011, 07:15 AM

Could it be an "otherside-around" recarved pommel?

tom hyle · 18th June 2011, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maurice

Could it be an "otherside-around" recarved pommel?

I don't see how, with the beak.
I note it resembles the simple Visayan cockatoos some have insisted on calling "knobs"
The sticks down the edges of the hilt would provide a very important modification, creating a positive edge alignment by feel/grip as contrast the relatively round original construction.
Interestingly this is also a more Visayan/Lumad sword feature; a more elongated cross section with narrow flat edges, rather than round.
Both sticks and binding of sticks are nonmetallic organic material, yes?

tom hyle · 18th June 2011, 11:44 AM

Is the rear stick by any chance wider than the front one?

mrwizard · 19th June 2011, 10:06 PM

The pommel does not appear to be turned around and recarved. And I don't think recycling a wooden pommel makes sense. If it were of ivory or like Rons' kris of whale bone this would be more likely.

Meanwhile i removed the protective coating (which was a kind of resin oil btw) and gave the blade a light etch with vinegar. The well controlled lamination is now clearly visible.

Best Regards,
Thilo

Sajen · 19th June 2011, 11:38 PM

Hello Thilo,

very nice lamination and a good kris, this was a very good catch.

Regards,

Detlef

mrwizard · 20th June 2011, 11:22 PM

Hello Tom,
Both stick have similar dimensions: 4mm wide, 2mm high, 95mm long, rectangular cross-section. They are made of wood. The binding looks like hemp and it is/was covered with tar/pitch of some sort. It appears like the sticks were also painted with pitch.

I'm not so sure about the edge alignment theory. While i have no idea how moro martial art looked/looks like, i personally would hold the kris with my thumb resting on the broad side of the blade base for better control. This would provide more than enough edge alignment regardless of hilt geometry

Best Regards,
Thilo

19th June 2011, 10:06 PM	#7
mrwizard Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dortmund, Germany Posts: 102	The pommel does not appear to be turned around and recarved. And I don't think recycling a wooden pommel makes sense. If it were of ivory or like Rons' kris of whale bone this would be more likely. Meanwhile i removed the protective coating (which was a kind of resin oil btw) and gave the blade a light etch with vinegar. The well controlled lamination is now clearly visible. Best Regards, Thilo Attached Images

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16th June 2011, 11:09 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	The blade and hilt construction appear to be Maguindanao. You have a early 20c piece from the Maguindanao tribe on the west coast of Mindanao. Interesting to see sticks instead of metal. Interesting pommel too.

16th June 2011, 11:28 PM	#2
mrwizard Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dortmund, Germany Posts: 102	Hello Jose, Thanks for the classification. Maguindanao and early 20th century was also my guess but i was unsure because of the pommel and the "chopsticks" on the hilt. The wooden sticks seem to be purely decorative as the asang-asang are fastened by copper bands that go below the metal fittings of the hilt. I vaguely remember having seen a similar construction with just one wooden stick on a barong but i cannot find the picture anymore. Best Regards, Thilo

17th June 2011, 12:21 AM	#3
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	unusual pommel indeed! the curly cue on the sides goes in the opposite direction. here's a similar pommel: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=moro+kris

17th June 2011, 07:15 AM	#4
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,453	Could it be an "otherside-around" recarved pommel?

18th June 2011, 11:44 AM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Is the rear stick by any chance wider than the front one?

19th June 2011, 11:38 PM	#8
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Hello Thilo, very nice lamination and a good kris, this was a very good catch. Regards, Detlef

20th June 2011, 11:22 PM	#9
mrwizard Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dortmund, Germany Posts: 102	Hello Tom, Both stick have similar dimensions: 4mm wide, 2mm high, 95mm long, rectangular cross-section. They are made of wood. The binding looks like hemp and it is/was covered with tar/pitch of some sort. It appears like the sticks were also painted with pitch. I'm not so sure about the edge alignment theory. While i have no idea how moro martial art looked/looks like, i personally would hold the kris with my thumb resting on the broad side of the blade base for better control. This would provide more than enough edge alignment regardless of hilt geometry Best Regards, Thilo