Malay Klewang?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Moshah

Personally, I think the klewang is rather short.

The two shown examples in the book are around 50 cm.

[Moshah]

Well then, obviously it was around of the same length..

BTW Detlef, do you have any clue on the three-apiece consecutive horizontal markings at the blunt edge (or shall I say the back?) of the klewang? Could it associate with a specific cultural region, customs or perhaps showing a tribal attribution?

You can see it more clearly on my last pix, or pix # 4

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Moshah

Well then, obviously it was around of the same length..

BTW Detlef, do you have any clue on the three-apiece consecutive horizontal markings at the blunt edge (or shall I say the back?) of the klewang? Could it associate with a specific cultural region, customs or perhaps showing a tribal attribution?

You can see it more clearly on my last pix, or pix # 4

I don't think that this can be a sign of a tribal attribution but frankly said I know not enough of this sort of klewang.

[T. Koch]

Hi Moshah and thanks for showing it!

It might be the pictures or it might certainly be me - I am super-paranoid about these things - but doesn't the condition of the blade kind of look a bit like an acid dip? I.e. that the blade perhaps has been artificially aged?

I could be completely wrong here and for sure wish it so - I am no specialist - like I said, just paranoid.


Anyway Moshah, I hope it cleans up nicely and hope to see more pics.


Best wishes, - Thor

[Moshah]

Giving to the fact that this kind of things do happen, yes thor I think there is some possibilities of artificial aging and such things. I've seen many of these kind on kerises but definitely I know next to nothing about klewangs.

On what point did you exactly think that acid dip has taken place in this klewang?

[kai]

Hello Thor,

doesn't the condition of the blade kind of look a bit like an acid dip? I.e. that the blade perhaps has been artificially aged?

Being a bit paranoid does help to prevent making mistakes with collecting...

I'm fairly sure that the blade is antique (or at least old vintage) though; the scabbard is a later replacement as Detlef pointed out already. If anything, I'd scrutinize the silver work, especially if this were coming directly out of Sumatra (where there are workshops busily "upgrading" genuine antique blades for selling with a greater profit margin.

In this case, I guess the discrepancy between the unprotected, rusty blade and the recently polished silver is the main reason for it looking a bit fishy. IMHO it it quite possibly might turn out to be ok/genuine - Moshah, maybe you can add some close-ups of the silver work?

Regards,
Kai

[Moshah]

Originally Posted by kai

If anything, I'd scrutinize the silver work, especially if this were coming directly out of Sumatra (where there are workshops busily "upgrading" genuine antique blades for selling with a greater profit margin.

If this was the case then I would be worry too

Sorry I haven't got a good camera this time to get a decent shots on the silver works. Definitely doesn't look shiny, no bling-bling there but I guess those workshop surely know better on how to vintage-ly upgrade it, if it was the case with this klewang...

However I did not see a lot of this type of klewang were on sale in the net or curio shops. Or at least not of this type, but we do see some which looks like a cross-over between a klewang and a machete / golok type around. Usually with simple wooden hilt.

I've seen one over the net with the same silver stripes on the back of the edge. As long as it was not a reworked strips, I guess it could well be a ceremonial piece too...

[T. Koch]

Mosha, I am not sure at all. It was exactly the newly carved scabbard in combination with the very uniform dispersion of oxidation together with it's color, that made me suspicious. Might also be the photos, as mentioned. If Kai says it's good to go, I'd trust him 100%!

I am just a novice when it comes to arms collecting, but I am collecting on a very limited budget and I simply can't afford to make mistakes with my funds. It probably also means that I miss out on some good-deal false-negatives, but I'll just have to live with that.


Take care, - Thor

[kai]

Hello Moshah,

I've seen one over the net with the same silver stripes on the back of the edge. As long as it was not a reworked strips, I guess it could well be a ceremonial piece too...

Those marks are quite commonly found on blades throughout the archipelago and are usually implicated as talismanic.

From what I can glean from your pics, the silverwork seems to be ok. The next step for me would be to mine online museum resources and compare the decoration style of your piece in detail with those examples.

Please keep us posted whatever you come up with!

Regards,
Kai