ID help unusual Indonesian (?) tombak (?) w/ elaborate carved scabbard

A. G. Maisey · 13th September 2020, 10:24 PM

This is a typical Javanese or Madurese tombak of ordinary quality. The type of thing that would be issued to guards, or in early times to levies.

The long tang is usual for tombak that were actually intended for use, later tombak, say form mid-19th century in Jawa, often had shorter tangs, and old tombak that were remounted as daggers or into display shafts frequently had the tang shortened. This tombak is a definite user, probably Mataram era, but unlikely to be from the Mataram heartland, more likely East Jawa or Madura.

It is a pretty fair example.

Gavin Nugent · 14th September 2020, 12:16 PM

Its always nice to find the spear heads with the covers, nicer still to find full complete spears.

He is a little detail extract from one sitting here on my desk.

Alan, how common was it to have the blades of these spear heads "signed" for want of a better word or perhaps better suited, "engraved" with native script?

Gavin

A. G. Maisey · 14th September 2020, 12:40 PM

Uncommon.

I cannot recall seeing a tombak blade with any engraving of text.

I do have a couple of tombak from the Mangkunegaraan armoury that have dates on the metuks. I have a Jayasukadgo tombak with heavy kinatah work.

I have a couple of "souvenir" type, very poor quality tombak that have been "batiked", ie, letters have been acid etched onto the blade, one of these has Chinese ideographs that read "big man San Po Kong". This sort of thing is common, they come from North Coast and East Jawa, and refer to Cheng Ho (Zheng He), the Chinese commander of the Ming Treasure Fleet that visited Jawa during the Mojopahit era and helped to spread Islam there. They are cheap talismanic things. Most that we see are pretty recently made, very poor quality but genuinely old tombak that have been acid etched after having been waxed to create the letters.

Gavin Nugent · 15th September 2020, 01:48 AM

Hi Alan,

See below the detail mentioned.... I think better placed here than a new thread unless others think its worth discussing separately or within the Keris forum.

Gavin

A. G. Maisey · 15th September 2020, 02:45 AM

I do not recognise the script Gavin, could you post a pic of the full blade?

Gavin Nugent · 15th September 2020, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I do not recognise the script Gavin, could you post a pic of the full blade?

As requested.

Twisted pesi with a small hook to the very end,
I suspect the hook was to help keep it in place when resin set?

Gavin

A. G. Maisey · 15th September 2020, 09:09 AM

Maybe, or maybe some other reason, it is not usual, so who knows?

Thanks for the pic Gavin, sorry, I cannot pic up anything from that.

DavidsCharlie · 21st September 2020, 08:42 PM

I greatly appreciate the very focused information -- it gives me more leads to follow, and confirms my impression that this was originally a 'working' weapon.

14th September 2020, 12:16 PM	#2
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Its always nice to find the spear heads with the covers, nicer still to find full complete spears. He is a little detail extract from one sitting here on my desk. Alan, how common was it to have the blades of these spear heads "signed" for want of a better word or perhaps better suited, "engraved" with native script? Gavin Attached Images

15th September 2020, 01:48 AM	#4
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Hi Alan, See below the detail mentioned.... I think better placed here than a new thread unless others think its worth discussing separately or within the Keris forum. Gavin Attached Images

21st September 2020, 08:42 PM	#8
DavidsCharlie Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 2	Thank you A.G. Maisey I greatly appreciate the very focused information -- it gives me more leads to follow, and confirms my impression that this was originally a 'working' weapon.

13th September 2020, 10:24 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	This is a typical Javanese or Madurese tombak of ordinary quality. The type of thing that would be issued to guards, or in early times to levies. The long tang is usual for tombak that were actually intended for use, later tombak, say form mid-19th century in Jawa, often had shorter tangs, and old tombak that were remounted as daggers or into display shafts frequently had the tang shortened. This tombak is a definite user, probably Mataram era, but unlikely to be from the Mataram heartland, more likely East Jawa or Madura. It is a pretty fair example.

14th September 2020, 12:40 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Uncommon. I cannot recall seeing a tombak blade with any engraving of text. I do have a couple of tombak from the Mangkunegaraan armoury that have dates on the metuks. I have a Jayasukadgo tombak with heavy kinatah work. I have a couple of "souvenir" type, very poor quality tombak that have been "batiked", ie, letters have been acid etched onto the blade, one of these has Chinese ideographs that read "big man San Po Kong". This sort of thing is common, they come from North Coast and East Jawa, and refer to Cheng Ho (Zheng He), the Chinese commander of the Ming Treasure Fleet that visited Jawa during the Mojopahit era and helped to spread Islam there. They are cheap talismanic things. Most that we see are pretty recently made, very poor quality but genuinely old tombak that have been acid etched after having been waxed to create the letters.

15th September 2020, 02:45 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	I do not recognise the script Gavin, could you post a pic of the full blade?

15th September 2020, 09:09 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Maybe, or maybe some other reason, it is not usual, so who knows? Thanks for the pic Gavin, sorry, I cannot pic up anything from that.