Mystery knife

[Ian]

Two examples of the Pinatubo Negritos' dipalata photographed in a Spanish Museum. This picture comes from an old thread on the rare Moro gayang, one of which can be seen at the bottom of rack.

[Ian]

The shape of the blade on this knife is strongly reminiscent of the Pinatubo Negrito katana shown in Fox, Plate 9 above. This picture comes from the Philippine section (no. 212) in the History of Steel Exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art (see here). The museum described it as a Luzon tabak, probably from Batangas.

The knife has a brass ferrule and a horn handle the end of which is carved with a human head wearing a brass cap. This style of carving is typical of work from Ilocos sur, and therefore is likely to be Ilocano in origin. The links between edged weapons of the Negritos and Ilokano are issues for a separate discussion.

Ian

---------------------Attachment: Luzon tabak (Ilocano style hilt, Negrito katana-style blade)---------------------------

[Sajen]

Hello Ian,

by searching I stumbled over this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=negrito A very similar knife to the one which has started this thread.

Regards,
Detlef

[Ian]

Detlef, thanks for finding that old post. Yes, definitely the same style of knife and correctly identified as "Negrito," although the geography is a little off. As Nony suggested in that post, that knife was probably mid-20th C in manufacture although the style clearly goes back to at least the early 20th C.

Ian.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

As Nony suggested in that post, that knife was probably mid-20th C in manufacture although the style clearly goes back to at least the early 20th C.

Hello Ian,

I personally would place this one a little bit more early, the good workmanship, the small aluminium(?) nails at the handle, the used wood (looks like a very nice grain) and the patination let me guess a birth around the 1930s but like always I could be wrong.

Best regards,
Detlef

[Ian]

Hi Detlef:

Could be, although aluminum ornamentation would date it to WWII or later. The aluminum came from downed aircraft.

Ian

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Ian,

I personally would place this one a little bit more early, the good workmanship, the small aluminium(?) nails at the handle, the used wood (looks like a very nice grain) and the patination let me guess a birth around the 1930s but like always I could be wrong.

Best regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Detlef:

Could be, although aluminum ornamentation would date it to WWII or later. The aluminum came from downed aircraft.

Ian

Hi Ian,

I think that aluminium was used a little more early by recycled drinking bottles from US soldiers, just a guess!? Otherwise you are correct, the 1940s is also a very good guess.

Regards,
Detlef