Small "Blingy" Knife, But From Where and What Was its Purpose???

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Ian

As usual Charles, you have another intriguing piece of difficult-to-define origin.

True Ian! For better or worse that seems to be my specialty. I am always attracted to the odd and unusual with a little bling thrown in!

[Bob A]

The opening in the scabbard seems most useful for weapons that need to be withdrawn in a hurry.

Aside from "somewhere in the Malay Archepelago" that's all Ive got.

[Sajen]

Hello Charles,

Most beautiful knife! Never seen such a knife before but it remember me a little bit to my lopah petawaran.

Regards,
Detlef

[Battara]

The similarities to the lopah are why I mentioned Aceh.

Perhaps I misspoke on the blade - maybe it is Sumatra I was thinking that make a wide ended blade like this.

Did not think of betel nut. Must have belonged to someone of some status.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Battara

The similarities to the lopah are why I mentioned Aceh.

But a LP is Batak instead of Aceh!

Regards,
Detlef

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Charles,

Most beautiful knife! Never seen such a knife before but it remember me a little bit to my lopah petawaran.

Regards,
Detlef

I thought exactly the same, Detlef. But then there's the weird blade.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

I thought exactly the same, Detlef. But then there's the weird blade.

Like said, I never before I have seen a similar knife. I only want to point to a possible origin.

Regards,
Detlef

[Gavin Nugent]

My gut feel is minangkabau Betel nut knife.

[Ian]

Hi Gavin,

What are you seeing that persuades you this is from the Minangkabau people? That's an uncommon attribution with respect to blades.

Ian

P.S. Just to amplify a little on my earler post, attached are pics of klewang from v. Zonneveld's book Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago, p. 70. Note no. 265 (from S. Sumatra) and 267 (from Sumatra) in relation to the shape of the blade on the small knife shown by Charles.
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