Finally...Central Luzon origin

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

I notice that your hilt has seven sides, so perhaps the panday ran out of seven-sided ferrules the day he was making this one and put on a round one instead.

Maybe, who knows!
In this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=luzon
post #14 is shown another nice example.

Regards,
Detlef

[Battara]

Interesting observations folks! Maraming Salamat to you all! Now I know: Pampangan.......

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Battara

Interesting observations folks! Maraming Salamat to you all! Now I know: Pampangan.......

Walang anuman Jose

[Ian]

In looking for other examples I went through Artzi's old sales on Oriental Arms web site. Could only find one possible example (no. 11156) shown here:

[Robert]

Hello Ian, It would be my opinion that with this particular blade style and the tooled leather scabbard that this piece is most likely from Batangas and not Pampanga like the others shown in this post. I am in the middle of moving my collection as my wife has graciously consented to my taking over an entire room dedicated solely for its display. As of now most of the items are still stored in boxes but I will try to find the other two examples, take photos and post them here.

Best,
Robert

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Robert

... this particular blade style and the tooled leather scabbard that this piece is most likely from Batangas and not Pampanga like the others shown in this post. ...

Yes, Robert, I agree that it could well be from Batangas. Hilts made of horn are quite common there, although the leather sheath and belt seem to have been fairly widespread in the late 19th/early 20th C. and one can find many different styles with such sheaths--"Negrito," Ilocano, etc.

Ian

[Robert]

Ian, I agree that the leather scabbard and belts are found in many other location in the Philippines. Ilocos Norte would probably have been a better choice of where this last knife/sword was from. As yet I have never seen an older leather sheath that could be attributed to Apalit/Pampanga, only wooden ones.

Best,
Robert

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

In looking for other examples I went through Artzi's old sales on Oriental Arms web site. Could only find one possible example (no. 11156) shown here:

I am with Robert here, most probable a Batangas piece.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Here another nice old example sold recently by ebay.

[Ian]

In doing a little more research about Apalit and swordmaking, I came across an article in a Filipino newspaper that describes the town as a center for swordmaking before and during the Spanish period.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/104837/...es-to-pampanga

The article mentions that the Apalit area had a long history of weapons manufacturing and likely: "... forged cannons and other weapons for the pre-Spanish Kapampangan kingdoms."

The historian who wrote this piece also was looking for a sword called "Bartolome" that was supposed to have been used by Katipuneros under the command of Andres Bonifacio:

“... unlike the common sword, the blade of Bartolome is “wave-like,” owing to curves similar to the kris. ... We’re told by old swordsmiths that the favorite of Katipuneros were this Bartolome. Those Katipuneros belonged to the Magdiwang group that Bonifacio led ... A foot and a half in length, the Bartolome had long been out of production.”

Has anyone seen or heard about this "Bartolome" sword? A picture would be great.

Ian

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Sajen

In this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=luzon
post #14 is shown another nice example.

Regards,
Detlef

Thanks Detlef.

Yes, another match. The hilt and ferrule are the same, the blade form is similar to several posted below, and the scabbard has the same semicircular motif with radiating lines.

Ian