Moro Kris

mross · 20th June 2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spunjer

been looking for a kamagong ball pommel for awhile. as far as beauty, they're pretty much up there with the junggayan stuff, i think. the unique talismanic symbols on the blade is a plus. what's interesting is an unusual mark by the elephant trunk which looks like the roman numeral 1. but most of all, it has a provenance.
a kalis given by HRH Sultan Jamalul-Kiram II to (then) Capt. Charles Howland

Spunjer,
I agree. These are really nice looking and few and far between. I don't usually carp over lost auctions, but my biggest regret is one of these I lost out several years ago. Even posted about it. Nice find. Good provenance. All around good deal.

Spunjer · 20th June 2011, 07:57 PM

thanks mross... i think these types (kamagong and ivory dots) are a class by themselves. it screams strictly sulu.
vandoo, the blade is about 21 inches, average in size. the plate is indeed on the larger side. interesting in that the Moro Campaign in Mindanao was in full swing (in 1902). i'm wondering what this captain howland was doing in Sulu. as a captain at that time, i'm assuming with that rank, he's a company commander, unless he's some sort of an executive officer to garner a gift from the sultan himself. nevertheless, the kris came with some pretty good historical trivia with it.

CharlesS · 21st June 2011, 06:26 PM

Very NOice!

Spunjer · 26th June 2011, 08:50 PM

well, seems to be moro stuff doesn't garner much discussion around here anymore, but just in case someone google Capt. Charles R. Howland and this thread pops up, i would like to add this information for future reference:

Quote:

Born in Jefferson, Ohio. Graduated from USMA West Point in June of 1891 and assigned to 20th Infantry Regiment. During the Philippine-American War, a 1st Lt., he was appointed a Captain of U.S. Volunteers in the 28th US Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 28th fought in Luzon and northern Mindanao and was decommissioned in May of 1901, which is when his volunteer commission expired. He received a permanent promotion to Captain in the 27th Infantry Regiment on Feb 2, 1901. The 27th Infantry was stationed across Moroland in early 1901 and a battalion was at Jolo.

Nonoy Tan · 27th June 2011, 01:20 AM

A very good specimen of history!

Battara · 27th June 2011, 02:15 AM

Again what is great (besides the bling

) is the fact that you have great provenance with it.

Spunjer · 27th June 2011, 03:07 PM

That's one thing about moro weapons: tho we know each are custom made to an individual, we may never know the name of the original owner. Unlike the yataghans and some other middle eastern swords where the name of the original owner were somtimes found on the blade, it's not so with the moro stuff. There's only two other moro weapo
ns i've seen and read that could be attributed to the original owner: a dagger that was given by Datu Piang to Webb Hayes, and a kris that belonged to Datu Natangkup that's in the National Museum in the philippines, as mentioned on cato's book.
I do find the blade interesting in that if we go by what cato wrote, it's a mindanao blade...

20th June 2011, 07:57 PM	#2
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	thanks mross... i think these types (kamagong and ivory dots) are a class by themselves. it screams strictly sulu. vandoo, the blade is about 21 inches, average in size. the plate is indeed on the larger side. interesting in that the Moro Campaign in Mindanao was in full swing (in 1902). i'm wondering what this captain howland was doing in Sulu. as a captain at that time, i'm assuming with that rank, he's a company commander, unless he's some sort of an executive officer to garner a gift from the sultan himself. nevertheless, the kris came with some pretty good historical trivia with it.

21st June 2011, 06:26 PM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Very NOice!

27th June 2011, 01:20 AM	#5
Nonoy Tan Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 293	A very good specimen of history!

27th June 2011, 02:15 AM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Again what is great (besides the bling ) is the fact that you have great provenance with it.

27th June 2011, 03:07 PM	#7
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	That's one thing about moro weapons: tho we know each are custom made to an individual, we may never know the name of the original owner. Unlike the yataghans and some other middle eastern swords where the name of the original owner were somtimes found on the blade, it's not so with the moro stuff. There's only two other moro weapo ns i've seen and read that could be attributed to the original owner: a dagger that was given by Datu Piang to Webb Hayes, and a kris that belonged to Datu Natangkup that's in the National Museum in the philippines, as mentioned on cato's book. I do find the blade interesting in that if we go by what cato wrote, it's a mindanao blade...