Posted on request: ivory,silver & twistcore!

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Battara

I will take a stab at this. This is a beautiful sundang.

Although it looks Moro in some respects, I think it is perhaps more Indonesian. Silver bands on the hilt are done in repousse - something that Moros do not traditionally do. As hilt shapes go, this one does not have the usual peninsular Malaysian sundang hilt profile. Yet the pommel looks more like an early Moro form (with the small tail broken off).

The twistcore blade is almost the entire blade, not just the middle like in early Moro pieces traditionally. Also the front part looks almost Maguindanao, but Moro blades do not have the elephant also in the back part of the ganga. This is strange even for a peninsular Malaysian sundang. In addition to this oddity, the blade is not etched like the usual Malaysian method.

I will reflect more on this piece and if anything comes to me I will post. Others may see things which I miss and I would be grateful for their feedback.

Thanks for your feedback.
I am looking forward what others got to say about this one. Moro or sundang?
I guess it is tougher without scabbard.
By the way, the twistcore is definately not the entire blade. It is over the whole length of the blade, but only in the centre. A distance from twistcore and edge is free and not "twisted". However near the gangya the twistcore is becoming wider till the elephants at the gangya.
I attached an image to show better the two elephants.