Batak Sword - metal handle - More info?

[kai]

Hello Bill,

I just saw that we crossed posts.

Age is tough to impossible to assess from pics. If pressed for a guesstimate, I'd tend towards the first half of 20th c. (or later).

Maybe I'm a bit too cautious - the craftsmanship is above average for the period and warrants close study (the black painted scabbard may be a later "restoration" attempt...)

BTW, for a piece with resembling motifs cp. Fig. viii.16 in Sibeth & Carpenter (2007).

Regards,
Kai