Kampilan with unusual hilt

[Rick]

The pommel seems almost Hawaiian, or Tahitian in form .

[Battara]

Rick the designs are very Moro.

That being said, Polynesians and Filipinos and Moros are genetically, culturally, and even somewhat linguistically related.

[Ian]

Hi Carlos:

Very nice and unusual example.

How old do you think it may be? The carving on the hilt and cross guard look very crisp and appear to have had little handling--might suggest relatively recent manufacture. The hair "implants" look to be nearly all there (unusual to find on older pieces). Hard to tell from the picture how old the blade might be. My initial thought was that this might be second half of 20th C, but only inspection in hand would allow an accurate estimate of age.

Good find!

Ian.

[Jim McDougall]

While these are admittedly out of my usual range of study, I must say this is a fascinating example, and has rekindled my interest in the kampilan. It does not seem we see many here as a rule, and I wanted to thank Carlos for sharing it, and especially you guys for entering key observations and notes!

As a reader in this case, I am very grateful to have these key notes which attend to observations and explain the character of variations.

I am inclined to agree Ian on the character of the hilt, which indeed does not seem with the same age as the blade, but again, is fascinating in its design.
If I might ask for more thoughts on the blade from those of you who are keen collectors of these. Is it possible some of the staining which seems present could be from 'cosmoline' or the type of storage preservative
often seen on weapons of early 20th century and in military or arsenal context?
I was wondering if perhaps during occupation at close of Spanish-American War period perhaps old examples or blades might have been stored by Filipino forces, and this might have reentered the population at later date. Possibly the remount might have been designed specifically toward a more ceremonial or traditional role then.

Again, the 'kampilan' is a fascinating weapon form and I'd like to know about it's origins and history so I will open another thread on that topic so as not to detract from discussion on this great example here.

[Ian]

Hi Jim:

I have found an occasional bring back of a US serviceman to have been treated with cosmoline or even varnished to prevent rust. These were mainly early 20th C items or immediately after WWII.

I doubt that the Moros would have used that technique to preserve and then rehabilitate old blades. Not heard of them doing that. Basically, old weapons that were no longer serviceable would be recycled into newly forged weapons or other useful items.

Some datus might have been in the habit of stockpiling weapons to arm their warriors in times of warfare, but individual Moro warriors usually carried their own weapons. Captured weapons might well have been stockpiled or handed out to the victors for their personal use--I'm sure an extra battle worthy kris or barung or kampilan was always worth having around the house. Whether some of these might have been refurbished at a later time is hard to say.

Ian

[Jim McDougall]

Thanks Ian!
My idea was that perhaps some of the auxiliaries or tribal groups might have picked up the concept or maybe even the material from American forces there. Whatever the case, there does seem to be good age to this blade and if it had belonged to a particularly notable warrior may have been held aside as a heirloom. The detail in the profiled tip of the blade I think is really fascinating and wonder what it means.

Jim

[carlos]

hello !!
i think is a 19 century kampilan, in Spain is unusual find fake kampilan. The most of them are "souvenirs" from war in the end of 19 century.
I add more pictures.
Thanks all forum members by comments.
best regards

carlos