Large Philippines knives/swords

ThePepperSkull · 15th April 2012, 05:18 PM

Not a Dahong palay, but interesting.

This bolo recently ended on ebay. The blade shape is the familiar "Two-humped spine" form we see in many Luzon blades, but it was the sheath that stood out. it looks similar to the sheath of the newly-made Dahong Palay that I posted on this thread.

Perhaps it was made in Laguna?

Robert · 15th April 2012, 05:49 PM

Hello ThePepperSkull, I too was watching this and trying to figure out exactly what was going on. I think the the bolo could possibly be older than the scabbard. Perhaps the original scabbard was damaged and not wanting to carry a bare blade around the owner simply had a new one made for it. Did you by chance end up winning this piece?

Robert

ThePepperSkull · 15th April 2012, 06:10 PM

That is a definite possibility. I know a lot of dahong palays don't have guards so it definitely could have been made in a different place than the sheath.

Yes sir, I did win this item. I was surprised (and delighted mind you) that no one else bid on it, but I figured someone else was watching it.

Did you see the bolo with the cast brass guard that ended this morning? I was going to bid on it and set my phone to wake me up before it ended but I slept through the alarm. You win some you lose some I guess.

Robert · 15th April 2012, 06:18 PM

Happy to hear you won this. Now I know it has a good home.

Quote:

Did you see the bolo with the cast brass guard that ended this morning?

If you are talking about the one that was part of a grouping, yes I was watching it also. The biggest problem that it had was that it looked as though someone had taken the blade and tried to sharpen it on a bench grinder.

It was a real mess.

Robert

Timo Nieminen · 22nd April 2012, 01:03 PM

Here is the first bolo I ever got, which encouraged me to get more Philippine stuff. I forgot to photograph this one last time. The blade is 9.5mm thick at the guard, and tapers quite uniformly to the point.

Timo Nieminen · 20th May 2012, 03:17 AM

A few more recently acquired ones. The first one I only got last Friday; it was a bit filthy so I cleaned it this morning. Was still very sharp, except for about 1cm near the point. A light touch with block+sandpaper, and it cut nicely. (The seller seemed to think it might be a Civil War Confederate knife.)

The 3rd one was from here; the other side is cleaner and less pitted.

The last one has very bug-eaten horn grips rivetted on. I need to fill the holes one day.

VANDOO · 20th May 2012, 04:20 AM

A VERY NICE COLLECTION OF PHILIPPINE EDGED WEAPONS WHICH HAVE NOT RECCEIVED MUCH ATTENTION FROM COLLECTORS OVER THE YEARS.
I DODGED THE SWORD OR KNIFE

WELL DIDN'T I

TO ME AT 5 FOOT 11 IN. I WOULD CLASSIFY THESE AS SHORT SWORDS DUE TO THEIR SIZE IN RELATION TO MY SIZE. OR AS MACHETE OR BUSH KNIVES DUE TO THE USE THEY ARE PUT TO IN THEIR ORIGINAL SOCIETY. IF A MAN IS 7 FOOT TALL THESE WOULD LIKELY BE SEEN AS KNIVES IF 5 FOOT TALL IS BIG IN THE GROUP THAT MADE THEM ITS A SWORD. SEEMS SIZE IS RELATIVE.

IN COLDER OR OPEN CLIMATES A SMALL KNIFE WILL SERVE WELL FOR EVERDAY USE AS YOU DON'T NEED TO CHOP YOUR WAY THRU JUNGLE OR HEAVY BRUSH SO A LARGE WORK KNIFE/ MACHETE IS NOT NEEDED. SO I WOULD ASSUME IN SUCH AREAS THE LONG SWORD WOULD ONLY BE A WEAPON. THE VIKINGS SEEMED TO USE THE AX AS A WEAPON QUITE A LOT PERHAPS THAT HAD TO DO WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THE TOOLS THAT WERE USEFUL THERE. A MAN WHO USED AN AX EVERY DAY MIGHT PREFER TO USE SOMETHING HE WAS VERY SKILLED WITH AS A WEAPON AS A RESULT. IRON WAS ALWAYS EXPENSIVE SO A SMALL KNIFE, AX HEAD OR SPEAR HEAD WAS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN A LARGE KNIFE OR SWORD. " JUST CONJECTURE MY SPECIALTY"

THE CARVED SCABBARD ON ONE OF THE LAST EXAMPLES IS VERY WELL CARVED AND INTERESTING IT APPEARS TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE EITHER DANCING OR FIGHTING. PERHAPS A CLOSEUP HINT HINT

15th April 2012, 05:18 PM	#1
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	Not a Dahong palay, but interesting. This bolo recently ended on ebay. The blade shape is the familiar "Two-humped spine" form we see in many Luzon blades, but it was the sheath that stood out. it looks similar to the sheath of the newly-made Dahong Palay that I posted on this thread. Perhaps it was made in Laguna? Attached Images

22nd April 2012, 01:03 PM	#5
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	Here is the first bolo I ever got, which encouraged me to get more Philippine stuff. I forgot to photograph this one last time. The blade is 9.5mm thick at the guard, and tapers quite uniformly to the point. Attached Images

20th May 2012, 03:17 AM	#6
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	A few more recently acquired ones. The first one I only got last Friday; it was a bit filthy so I cleaned it this morning. Was still very sharp, except for about 1cm near the point. A light touch with block+sandpaper, and it cut nicely. (The seller seemed to think it might be a Civil War Confederate knife.) The 3rd one was from here; the other side is cleaner and less pitted. The last one has very bug-eaten horn grips rivetted on. I need to fill the holes one day. Attached Images

15th April 2012, 05:49 PM	#2
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Hello ThePepperSkull, I too was watching this and trying to figure out exactly what was going on. I think the the bolo could possibly be older than the scabbard. Perhaps the original scabbard was damaged and not wanting to carry a bare blade around the owner simply had a new one made for it. Did you by chance end up winning this piece? Robert

15th April 2012, 06:10 PM	#3
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	That is a definite possibility. I know a lot of dahong palays don't have guards so it definitely could have been made in a different place than the sheath. Yes sir, I did win this item. I was surprised (and delighted mind you) that no one else bid on it, but I figured someone else was watching it. Did you see the bolo with the cast brass guard that ended this morning? I was going to bid on it and set my phone to wake me up before it ended but I slept through the alarm. You win some you lose some I guess.

20th May 2012, 04:20 AM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A VERY NICE COLLECTION OF PHILIPPINE EDGED WEAPONS WHICH HAVE NOT RECCEIVED MUCH ATTENTION FROM COLLECTORS OVER THE YEARS. I DODGED THE SWORD OR KNIFE WELL DIDN'T I TO ME AT 5 FOOT 11 IN. I WOULD CLASSIFY THESE AS SHORT SWORDS DUE TO THEIR SIZE IN RELATION TO MY SIZE. OR AS MACHETE OR BUSH KNIVES DUE TO THE USE THEY ARE PUT TO IN THEIR ORIGINAL SOCIETY. IF A MAN IS 7 FOOT TALL THESE WOULD LIKELY BE SEEN AS KNIVES IF 5 FOOT TALL IS BIG IN THE GROUP THAT MADE THEM ITS A SWORD. SEEMS SIZE IS RELATIVE. IN COLDER OR OPEN CLIMATES A SMALL KNIFE WILL SERVE WELL FOR EVERDAY USE AS YOU DON'T NEED TO CHOP YOUR WAY THRU JUNGLE OR HEAVY BRUSH SO A LARGE WORK KNIFE/ MACHETE IS NOT NEEDED. SO I WOULD ASSUME IN SUCH AREAS THE LONG SWORD WOULD ONLY BE A WEAPON. THE VIKINGS SEEMED TO USE THE AX AS A WEAPON QUITE A LOT PERHAPS THAT HAD TO DO WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THE TOOLS THAT WERE USEFUL THERE. A MAN WHO USED AN AX EVERY DAY MIGHT PREFER TO USE SOMETHING HE WAS VERY SKILLED WITH AS A WEAPON AS A RESULT. IRON WAS ALWAYS EXPENSIVE SO A SMALL KNIFE, AX HEAD OR SPEAR HEAD WAS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN A LARGE KNIFE OR SWORD. " JUST CONJECTURE MY SPECIALTY" THE CARVED SCABBARD ON ONE OF THE LAST EXAMPLES IS VERY WELL CARVED AND INTERESTING IT APPEARS TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE EITHER DANCING OR FIGHTING. PERHAPS A CLOSEUP HINT HINT