Bolo for commentary

[Ian]

Hi milandro,

Handsome looking item. I agree with kai, this is central Sumatran in origin and post-WWII in manufacture. Two questions, an observation, and another question.

Is the edge chisel-ground or V-ground, and is part of the back edge sharpened?

The down-turned quillion on the guard appears to reflect a Chinese influence. Kai, do we know whether Chinese settlers or merchants ventured as far inland as the central highlands of Sumatra?

[Gavin Nugent]

One of the guardless sub types from Sumatra, the others that utilize this guard are not on this PC, will see if I can find some examples.

A personally feel this entire piece of yours is a WWII + period weapon from Murat Sabah... guard a personal thing... the same elegant guard style can be seen on some of the rarer Sumatra Silat weapons and also in Vietnam... but they are typically attached to the pommel too, although examples can be found with the floating guard.

https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle...machete-making

[kai]

Hello Gavin,

One of the guardless sub types from Sumatra

As evidenced by the sewar-like bolster, this is yet another family of blades from the same area. The blades do come in different shapes and also the hilts vary quite a bit!

A personally feel this entire piece of yours is a WWII + period weapon from Murat Sabah...

Please explain (I don't see anything similar in the link you added). BTW, Sabah or Sarawak?

The swords we're discussing here are not from Borneo. Also note that the scabbard seems way too long for the blade.

the same elegant guard style can be seen on some of the rarer Sumatra Silat weapons and also in Vietnam...

Visual references would be good, Gav.

but they are typically attached to the pommel too, although examples can be found with the floating guard.

Yes, both guard variants can be found with this type of blade.

Here's a knife-size version from the same period as the one André showed (pic courtesy of Maurits).

Regards,
Kai

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by kai

Please explain (I don't see anything similar in the link you added). BTW, Sabah or Sarawak?

The swords we're discussing here are not from Borneo. Also note that the scabbard seems way too long for the blade.

Visual references would be good, Gav.

Yes, both guard variants can be found with this type of blade.

Here's a knife-size version from the same period as the one André showed (pic courtesy of Maurits).

Regards,
Kai

Hi Kai,

A nice comparative example in all aspects, thank you.
The Mandailing origins look spot on for the type overall and with this one Michael presents with a guard http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5089

The image within the link is a modern generalization showing the use of metal guards in more modern Borneo production. ( And yes, Sarawak, "mental fart")

It would be nice to see the reverse of each blade... does the example you show have a chiseled edge blade?
I am not clear if Milandro is confirming his is a chisel edge blade? Seems alluded to rather than confirmed? Milandro?

Whilst I do now see these as ethnically the same visually, please bear with me please....I am not familiar with chiselled edge blades in Sumatra, that aspect seems more Northern Philippines/Borneo by nature as far as manufacture goes historically???

Gav

PS, I missed the post directly above whilst posting myself....

[milandro]

Thank you all for all the learned comments , I have much to learn about many things.

Let's start from the end, this is not a chisel edge blade (methinks) it is V edge blade , it isn't sharp now and I think it was never sharpened. The upper front edge is not sharpened too (and looks slightly different from the knife shown here which is otherwise the twin brother of my blade)

The scabbard is indeed longer than it need be, and could be a clever adaptation to fit the blade what makes me think this was made for this blade is the fact that the downward pointing part of the guard (the quilon I believe) fits nicely in a receptacle on top. Could be by chance but it is a very clever thing.


The pictures are from the seller and ( I don't know why) the system here uploads them and makes them less sharp than they are), my observation is that both the engraving en the braiding are finer in real that they are on pictures , also the blade looks considerably older from close by than it looks on the pictures ( probably due to refection).

I am not inferring that this isn't a post war weapon, I am rather convinced that it was acquired (1949) when the blade was new, but it is very probably (I believe the seller who was selling some weapons from his deceased father) a soldier's souvenir, as the majority of Indonesian blades we see in the NL, acquired at the time of the independence war.

[Gavin Nugent]

Most helpful images and further data.

It is clearly as Kai notes.

Looking at the scabbard in full detail, it is certainly a mandau sheath and not intended for this knife.

Congrats, it is a good thing and of the period you note.

[kai]

Hello Ian,

Is the edge chisel-ground or V-ground, and is part of the back edge sharpened?

All examples I saw have symmetrical bevels (V grind). The back edge has a steep bevel that doesn't lend itself to sharpening, especially with the longer blades.

The down-turned quillion on the guard appears to reflect a Chinese influence. Kai, do we know whether Chinese settlers or merchants ventured as far inland as the central highlands of Sumatra?

I can't recall any historic references. There has been enough and longstanding influence in the area for ideas to spread, anyway.

I'd assume that the trade to the coastal ports on both sides of Sumatra was done by the Minang though. At least the pre-colonial production seems to be by local artisans IMHO.

Regards,
Kai