Melanesian pole club?

fearn · 2nd September 2008, 04:52 AM

Sure it's not Japanese?

Tim Simmons · 2nd September 2008, 08:03 AM

I know nothing about Japanese weapons fearn. I can see your thoughts in the purity of form, not unusual in the South Seas too.

Somebody out there knows about Japanese wood clubs? a peasants weapon? perhaps a police baton? I have a heavy boken of similarly dark coloured wood but seems quite different wood really, perhaps because it is not old like the club.

I would rather it was from the Melanesian world.

I have very small information about pole clubs in New Ireland but there are many other islands in the region.

Help please?

lemmythesmith · 2nd September 2008, 11:07 PM

Hi Tim, the form of your club does look like a Japanese kanabo but the ones I've handled are much bigger-about 4-5 feet long and have strips of studded iron attached to them. The bottom half of kanabo are often carved with ribbing looking as if they were turned on a lathe but probably applied by hand.

Hope this helps, Graham

fearn · 3rd September 2008, 02:41 AM

Hi Tim,

I was thinking of the Japanese hanbo, which is about 3 feet long and 1 to 1.5 inches diameter. It might have a hole drilled near one end for a wrist loop. Basically, the smooth, relatively even club with an octagonal cross section seems like a Japanese thing to me.

Without doing a (destructive) wood test, there's not much way to tell, unless you have something in the way of provenance.

Anyway, it's just my opinion. I'd be happy to be wrong.

F

Tim Simmons · 3rd September 2008, 03:01 PM

F you are not wrong. At least it is an old one. Another piece to put at the back of the wardrobe.

fearn · 4th September 2008, 06:15 AM

Hi Tim,

Glad to help. Perhaps it needs a home behind the door, for providing a warm and friendly welcome to any visiting neds...

F

ausjulius · 5th September 2008, 04:37 AM

could most likely be fiji or could be tonga both areas octagonial clubs were common.. , actualy fijian clubs were traded all around the pacific due to their quality and hardness of woods found in fiji.

2nd September 2008, 08:03 AM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,936	I know nothing about Japanese weapons fearn. I can see your thoughts in the purity of form, not unusual in the South Seas too. Somebody out there knows about Japanese wood clubs? a peasants weapon? perhaps a police baton? I have a heavy boken of similarly dark coloured wood but seems quite different wood really, perhaps because it is not old like the club. I would rather it was from the Melanesian world. I have very small information about pole clubs in New Ireland but there are many other islands in the region. Help please? Last edited by Tim Simmons; 2nd September 2008 at 08:13 AM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

2nd September 2008, 04:52 AM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Sure it's not Japanese?

2nd September 2008, 11:07 PM	#3
lemmythesmith Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 93	Hi Tim, the form of your club does look like a Japanese kanabo but the ones I've handled are much bigger-about 4-5 feet long and have strips of studded iron attached to them. The bottom half of kanabo are often carved with ribbing looking as if they were turned on a lathe but probably applied by hand. Hope this helps, Graham

3rd September 2008, 02:41 AM	#4
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Tim, I was thinking of the Japanese hanbo, which is about 3 feet long and 1 to 1.5 inches diameter. It might have a hole drilled near one end for a wrist loop. Basically, the smooth, relatively even club with an octagonal cross section seems like a Japanese thing to me. Without doing a (destructive) wood test, there's not much way to tell, unless you have something in the way of provenance. Anyway, it's just my opinion. I'd be happy to be wrong. F

3rd September 2008, 03:01 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,936	F you are not wrong. At least it is an old one. Another piece to put at the back of the wardrobe.

4th September 2008, 06:15 AM	#6
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Tim, Glad to help. Perhaps it needs a home behind the door, for providing a warm and friendly welcome to any visiting neds... F

5th September 2008, 04:37 AM	#7
ausjulius Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: musorian territory Posts: 481	could most likely be fiji or could be tonga both areas octagonial clubs were common.. , actualy fijian clubs were traded all around the pacific due to their quality and hardness of woods found in fiji.