Oh the shark has pretty teeth dear...

[kai]

Hello Dmitry,

What is the significance of the Lion figure in Javanese culture?

This is not a lion - much more likely to represent Makara. (Can be tough or next to impossible to positively identify what the carver wanted it to be though...)

The blade seems to be antique; less sure about the hilt. The scabbard's wood is apparently dyed with lower quality metalwork. The metal sheets nailed on the hilt (and the replaced ferrule) appear to be much younger and of low quality (they don't even follow the lines of the carving). I'd consider removing them.

Regards,
Kai