Bicol sword for comment

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Robert:

I'm really not seeing much similarity here except for the toothy grin. These are very different swords and likely from different regions IMHO.

The sword you posted has an octagonal horn hilt and iron ferrule, versus a rectangular wooden hilt and no ferrule. The hilt on yours is full tang versus partial tang in the original example. The figural carvings on the pommels look like two different entities (apart from the "grin"). Your example has a carved handle versus no carving on the other one.

The shape of the blades is quite different. And the scabbards are totally different--yours is leather in the Central or Northern Luzon style, and the original example is wooden and perhaps more like a Visayan piece (as noted by Battara) or Southern Luzon.

I would say your example is more likely from Batangas or thereabouts.

Ian.

Hello Ian,

thank you very much for comment and your thoughts about this both swords.

Let me explain my own thoughts. All what I know I've learned at this place, sadly is not much written about South Luzon and Visayan swords. Robert has posted in this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=inaso an interesting sword with a handle which has some similar features (not peened through tang, no ferrule) and our ex-(?)member Bangkaya has written: "It does resemble the inaso (aso=dog) hilt of Bicol, but if it was from Bicol the tang would normally be peened at the end. Bikolano swords also almost always has a ferrule made of metal." and furthermore: "Figural hilts are common with faces of dogs, monkeys, people, etc. and even the dragon hilt varieties found on some modern sansibars. The blade itself is unique, but any sort of blade shape can be made to order by any panday for the original owner". This would explain (when it is a Waray sword) that the blade isn't chiseled ground, a feature normally found by Visayan swords. On the other hand, not all Bicol swords has a peened through tang, look for example here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=bicol , a other interesting sword from Robert which seemed to be from Bicol also. Regarding the not existent ferrule: so maybe really a Waray sword or a later Bicol sword?
The second sword seems to my eyes indeed a Bicol sword, the inaso handle is in my eyes typical as well as the blade profile.

Would be very interesting to read also the thoughts of other members which are familiar with swords from Luzon and the Visayans.

Regards,
Detlef