Tumbuk lada with Malayan rhino horn handle?

mariusgmioc · 6th June 2020, 07:26 PM

Hello Detlef,

It would be very difficult to make photos good enough so one can see the rhino horn structure as I do not have a good camera.

Will give it a try as soon as it will be a sunny day. This weekend is pretty dark and rainy.

PS: Yeah, most rencongs have pretty distinctive blade. Most tumbuk-lada also have a distinctive blade.
Most but not all...

I had a couple of rencong that had exactly sewar blades.

PPS: Have you examined the second one from the bottom in your photo at high magnification?

Sajen · 7th June 2020, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

PPS: Have you examined the second one from the bottom in your photo at high magnification?

Yes, I have, it's not rhino horn!

mariusgmioc · 7th June 2020, 10:17 AM

More light this morning sa here are more photos where the hair structure can be seen.

Sajen · 7th June 2020, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

More light this morning sa here are more photos where the hair structure can be seen.

Sorry Marius, exactly what I thought, it's not rhino! Look to the above given thread about my Thai enep, you will see there the same structure. It's old weathered water buffalo horn, not rhino.

Regards,
Detlef

Sajen · 7th June 2020, 10:35 AM

Compare!

kai · 7th June 2020, 11:36 AM

Yup, as I said in post #20 and Detlef in #29, this fibrous look is very common.

And it hardly ever is rhino. While there are additional indicators which can lend a hint if you're willing to gamble, one really needs to look at the end-grain (as in post #8) to ascertain any identification.

This is an old fad which still gets purported by dealers to increase sales...

Regards,
Kai

David · 7th June 2020, 02:02 PM

Marius, i am afraid these gentlemen are correct. Your sewar hilt is not rhino. I posted the defining elements of rhino horn structure in my post #8. It's not simply a matter of what you call hair-like structure. That can be found in a lot of horn, which is basically keratin, the same substance that make up human hair. What you need to see in a hilt to identify it as rhino is these tightly packed tubular structures with a dot in the center of each tube.

Sajen · 7th June 2020, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

PS: Yeah, most rencongs have pretty distinctive blade. Most tumbuk-lada also have a distinctive blade.
Most but not all...

I had a couple of rencong that had exactly sewar blades.

Would like to see them when possible!

Regards,
Detlef

6th June 2020, 07:26 PM	#1
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,912	Hello Detlef, It would be very difficult to make photos good enough so one can see the rhino horn structure as I do not have a good camera. Will give it a try as soon as it will be a sunny day. This weekend is pretty dark and rainy. PS: Yeah, most rencongs have pretty distinctive blade. Most tumbuk-lada also have a distinctive blade. Most but not all... I had a couple of rencong that had exactly sewar blades. PPS: Have you examined the second one from the bottom in your photo at high magnification? Last edited by mariusgmioc; 6th June 2020 at 07:44 PM.

7th June 2020, 10:17 AM	#3
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,912	More light this morning sa here are more photos where the hair structure can be seen. Attached Images

7th June 2020, 10:35 AM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,400	Compare! Attached Images

7th June 2020, 11:36 AM	#6
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Yup, as I said in post #20 and Detlef in #29, this fibrous look is very common. And it hardly ever is rhino. While there are additional indicators which can lend a hint if you're willing to gamble, one really needs to look at the end-grain (as in post #8) to ascertain any identification. This is an old fad which still gets purported by dealers to increase sales... Regards, Kai

7th June 2020, 02:02 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,249	Marius, i am afraid these gentlemen are correct. Your sewar hilt is not rhino. I posted the defining elements of rhino horn structure in my post #8. It's not simply a matter of what you call hair-like structure. That can be found in a lot of horn, which is basically keratin, the same substance that make up human hair. What you need to see in a hilt to identify it as rhino is these tightly packed tubular structures with a dot in the center of each tube.