Insights on unusual kampilan?

[Battara]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

Jose, I think you would be the guy to ask whether the semicircular border motifs are done with a graver or a punch?
Time permitting, can you expand somewhat on why you've dated the blade as you have?

Sure thing: First the work done on the silver was done with chasing, stamping, and punch tools.

Second, the manner of the design of the okir on the silver I have seen on later rather than earlier pieces. Early work does not have as much empty space as later examples. However the style of okir appears to me to be Maranao (though Maguindanao work is very close).

Thirdly, the thickness of the silver plates I have seen on later pieces and not early ones. Early ones seem (so far) to be made of thinner sheets of silver.

Fourth, regarding the blade, it seems to have characteristics of older examples like the method of the tapering profile, the "spike" at the distal end of the blade (worn down). I have not seen (so far) later examples with these details.

Fifth: In addition to these points, the pommel section, and even to some extent the cross guard, appear to be in an older more traditional style. Also notice that the narra wood that this piece was made looks burled to me, again not often used by later pieces.

These are my thoughts so far.

However if anyone can show a different side, please educate me - I love to learn.

[Ian]

Thanks Rick. Here is your kampilan with the central axis shown. Because of the atypical pommel, this would be a Type IV hilt. The projection of the long axis of the blade on to the hilt suggests that this one would be closer to a Type II than a Type I orientation.

Ian.

[Gavin Nugent]

Here is an interesting one you can draw lines through Ian, a short curved type with provenance, captured 1898.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=santa

Tempted to link others but I think it is against the rules to self link to my own items.....

[Oliver Pinchot]

Thanks for detailing your analysis, Jose. I am struck by the similarities in dating the silverwork on Moro weapons with those of some groups in the Northern Caucasus.

Here is a kris with a pommel which seems to relate it to the kampilan pictured above-- quite similar in form and the wood looks almost identical. Would it be reasonable to infer that they are from the same area? Interesting that the spur-like form of the saddle on the kampilan hilt also appears on the kris, but since the pommel is rotated 190 degrees off from that of the kampilan, the spur instead serves to back the small finger.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Here is an interesting one you can draw lines through Ian, a short curved type with provenance, captured 1898.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=santa

Tempted to link others but I think it is against the rules to self link to my own items.....

Gavin:

Thanks for the information.

Unfortunately simply drawing a straight line down a slightly curved blade does not capture the symmetry of the blade correctly, and over-estimates the departure from linearity of the hilt.

I've reproduced the picture from your previous post below, with a line drawn from the midpoint of the tip to the midpoint of the forte right before the wooden guard, then extrapolated that through to the hilt. As noted, the extrapolated line may over-estimate the degree to which the terminal part of the hilt is uptilted. As drawn, this one has the characteristics of a Type I hilt.

However, if we were to draw a curved line that traced the mid-point of the blade at each point down its curved length (difficult to do digitally with Photosphop), then we might get something closer to a Type II hilt.

So I'm not sure which is the correct interpretation for this one.

Ian.

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks Ian,

It is a small cutlass sized sword captured from pirates according to the plaque.

I finally bought a new home yesterday and will be in just before Christmas so my life can then unpack and hopefully get back to my books and other resources to better understand with some exactness where this sword was taken....but I need in roads to US military records from the time...a bit difficult knowing where to start being on the other side of the world.

Gavin